Into the Psyche 2: Collision of Worlds
by Black Raider
Summary: What started as a chance to explore her powers becomes a fight to save them when Sky is accepted to a special academy. With new friends by her side, she may just win in this fight for the safety of all psyche humans in the world.
1. Exploring Connections

**Chapter One – Exploring Connections**

" _All aircraft and jumpers, we got a report of a wildfire."_

Sky perked up at Patch's call sounding over her MP3. In a flash, she went from Relaxation Mode to Firefighter Mode, just like everyone else still on Piston Peak Air Attack base. She tossed her MP3 into her backpack and set it aside. Then she grabbed her radio and darted off to the hoses where she kept her harness hung up next to the water pipes. She slipped it on.

"Loaded and ready, Raven!" Maru called, tossing Sky her fire extinguisher. She caught it easily and hooked it to the back of her harness.

"Thanks, Maru!" Sky called. She took two seconds to check herself out to make sure she was ready to fight. She generally wore her jeans and black sneakers, but whenever she was at Piston Peak she also wore the T-shirt and sometimes the jacket Maru made for her after her certification. She kept her hair tied back, pulling her bandana off her head to tie around her wrist. She kept her wireframe headset secure on her skull, her mic in the perfect placement. The radio attached stayed clipped to her jeans pocket. To assure she would be prepared for anything, she had modified her harness to hold an oxygen tank and mask while keeping another pocket open for her fire extinguisher. She had a separate harness she used for racing. She also grabbed her pulaski tool to use for if/when Blade sent her down to work with the Smokejumpers.

"Let's go, Raven!" Blade called, already hovering above the ground. Sky hurried over and hopped into the hoist hatch, and the team took off.

Another summer came, and with it came Sky and Dusty's work as firefighters with Mayday and Blade. They still raced when they could, keeping an eye on the schedules and their email. Life went on per the usual, even with some of the crazy things that happened to them over the past two years. Dusty had invited Desiree out to see Piston Peak earlier that summer, and she was awestruck by his work as a firefighter. Rosa often liked to radio the base to talk to Blade, and Nick did what he could to go visit her. The number of fires that summer was about average. It hadn't been a dry year, but rainfall wasn't exactly record-breaking.

Now, it was mid-August, and Dusty and Sky were looking forward to returning home to Propwash Junction after a somewhat busy fire season. This fire they currently fought was simple (a campfire left unattended) and it only took about an hour or two to take care of it. The firefighters practically raced each other back to base to hose down and cool off.

Sky and Blade were the last ones back, not exactly in a hurry. They weren't about to get caught up in the scrap that was the Smokejumpers tussle for the showers. Blade finally landed and Sky hopped out of the hoist hatch.

"Hey Maru!" Sky called, marching over to the garage.

"Hey Raven!" Maru waved. He noticed her hair rather unkempt, ash across her face, and her cheeks red. "Yeesh. Some firefight, huh?"

"A little rough." Sky admitted. "Got roped into working with the Smokejumpers. Next thing we know, a tree on the cliff decided to fall right towards us."

"Should I bring up the deere that almost plowed you down?" Blade noted, smirking.

Sky rolled her eyes with a grin. She unhooked her fire extinguisher from her harness. "I got a bit of a dent in my fire extinguisher. Can you fix it?"

"Of course I can." Maru assured. Then he saw the damage: a dent so big Sky could put the extinguisher on her head and wear it like a hat. "You call that 'a bit of a dent'?" Sky shrugged sheepishly, and Maru chuckled as he took the extinguisher. "I'm on it."

"Thanks." Sky said gratefully. She shed her jacket and placed it on a nearby workbench. She sighed, feeling her muscles finally getting tired after all her work.

Blade chuckled at the sound. _I know how she feels. Sometimes this job can take a lot out of a person._ His eyes traveled to Sky's arms, where she had numerous cut and burn scars. Old memories forced Blade to think about how she got those scars: her crash on Dusty, during the last great inferno when Dusty's gearbox failed. It was one of the most stressful and painful moments of Blade's life, second only to Nick's fatal crash. He didn't think he'd ever feel so terrified after that day. Dusty's and Sky's crash dredged up old feelings and bad memories, especially when Maru told him about how Sky used her psych-man powers to help save Blade's life just several hours before. Of course, this didn't come without a cost: a severe burn that still scarred Sky's side to this day. Since becoming a firefighter, Sky had several injuries that usually required some form of medical attention. Nothing serious yet, but it still made Blade anxious.

 _Just keep calm._ He constantly reminded himself. _I promised I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her, and I intend to keep that promise._

At that moment, Blade caught sight of Sky's questioning glance, and he realized he had been staring at her. He quickly averted his gaze, only for Sky to quietly giggle. She walked off, announcing her plan to finally get a good, cool shower.

Maru chuckled from where he worked. "You know, it's rude to stare."

"I was not staring." Blade denied. "I was…..thinking….."

"About Raven?" Maru guessed.

"Well….." Blade huffed in defeat. "Yes."

Maru chuckled, but his face went serious again. "You know, I've been thinking about her too. I've been wondering…..have you two thought much about your Soul Connection?"

"In terms of what?" Blade asked.

"Just….anything." Maru shrugged. "Has it done anything for ya?"

Blade thought for a moment. "Not sure. If anything, it's been…..healing."

Maru smiled softly. He did a quick check to make sure nobody was within earshot. "I can tell. You've gotten better over the past couple years. You ain't the same stubborn, cold-eyed chopper with anger issues." He gave Blade a musing glance. "Then again, it's really only the anger issues that improved."

Blade gave him a deadpan look that soon morphed into a smirk. "Better than you, He-Who-Likes-to-Throw-Wrenches."

Maru shrugged, chuckling. His smile soon fell, however, to the point where he frowned in concern and thought. "Yeah. This Soul Connect. It's a great thing. It's healed you." Blade didn't answer. There wasn't really anything he could say to that. Then, Maru said, "It's Sky I'm worried about."

Blade stared at him in surprise. "What? Why?"

"She may have been able to heal you, but have you healed her?" Maru asked.

"Why would she need healing?" Blade asked. "I mean, she may still be scarred from her parents, but—"

"But what?" Maru scoffed softly. "Come on, Blade. Be honest. Are we sure we really _know_ her? She acts just like you still do. Sky may give us bits and pieces of her past, but she'll never tell us the full story. She'll never admit what she's truly feeling." He sighed. "I can see it. No one really notices, but I do see it sometimes." He looked to Blade, almost hopefully. "Do you?"

Blade stared at the ground. "Yes." Of course he had noticed it. But all this time, he was too afraid of hurting Sky to ask. She was the victim of abandonment. Someone unwanted by people who were supposed to love her. If Blade were in her shoes…well, he just didn't know how he'd react.

* * *

That evening, before going to bed, Sky decided to stop by the garage to check on Maru's progress with her fire extinguisher. When she arrived, she found the extinguisher still on the workbench with the dent only half-fixed.

 _No surprise._ Sky shrugged. _What with the Smokejumpers' antics._ Earlier that day, the Jumpers returned from mopping up the fire and had to send Drip and Blackout straight to Maru for repairs. From what Sky heard, there had been an incident that involved a "fallen log" and "an awesome trick that didn't go as planned." Sky loved the Smokejumpers, but sometimes she worried about the amount of trouble they got into.

Sky took a glance around the garage and her eyes settled on The Wall. She looked around outside, but everyone else already went to bed. So Sky went to the bottom right corner of The Wall and moved the boxes to reveal Nick's picture. As happy as Sky was to have Nick as a friend, there were moments when she forgot he was dead. It didn't always feel that way, what with Nick's energetic nature. Sky took some time every once in a while to stare at Nick's picture and remind herself of his situation. She reached out and touched the picture of the deceased helicopter. Then, Sky noticed something next to the picture: six notches cut into the wood of The Wall's frame. Sky looked to the other pictures and noticed something similar.

"What are these?" She murmured, counting the notches next to Nick's picture again.

"Years of active duty and service."

Sky jumped and spun around to see Maru there. She looked back to the notches in The Wall. "Active duty?"

"The years they worked as firefighters." Maru explained. "Or, in Nick's case, years he was acting on the show."

Sky stared at the notches and Nick's picture. "Did you know Nick?"

"I met him a couple times." Maru said. "When he and Blade came to Piston Peak for filming, they visited the base a few times. A couple years before that, I had started working here." He stared at Nick's picture. "I had already lost a firefighter, but being tines-deep in that kid while he was dying….." Maru cleared his throat. "Let's just say it took a while to get over it."

Sky looked down, suddenly uncomfortable. She covered Nick's picture again. "What was he like?"

Maru chuckled. "A goofball. Might have even rivaled the Smokejumpers. I didn't really get to know him too well, but I watched the way he and Blade acted around each other. You'd think they were related."

 _Not much a difference now._ Sky noted. "I like Nick." She caught herself. "I mean, it sounds like I would."

"I think you and Nick would've gotten along well." Maru agreed. "You two got a lot in common."

"The implication being that you think I'm a goofball too?" Sky laughed.

Maru laughed too. "Well you know what? You two may be goofs, but you know when it's time to be serious. Nick was the same way. He knew how to respect the forest and the staff. He didn't give the firefighters a hard time when they were advising the crew. He knew that the winds didn't feel right and that…that he shouldn't have…shouldn't have…..been flying…" Maru's smile fell away, and he sighed. The sound came out bitter, almost angry, and he drove off to his workbench. Sky stared after him, a little confused and worried. Maru began working on the fire extinguisher again, not speaking for a minute. "You have no idea how happy I am that you and Dusty ain't stupid."

Sky blinked. "Thank you?" She cleared her throat. "I mean, I'm glad we're not stupid too."

"You don't get it." Maru growled. "You weren't there."

 _Not in the way you think._ Sky thought.

"It's not just that there are stupid people in the world." Maru said, seeming to speak to himself and only partly to Sky. "It's that their stupidity affects other people. They kill people, even by accident. But they don't even realize what they do is damaging." He was steadily getting angrier, and Sky could see it. But she remained calm as he kept talking. "He knew. He _knew_ it was dangerous but they didn't listen. And then he….." Sky jumped when Maru slammed his hammer against the workbench. "Why didn't he just say no? He should've gone with his gut. But he didn't want to cause trouble." Maru sighed, resting the hammer on the workbench. "Damn, I could've saved him. I did what I could. Why didn't he hold on a little longer?"

Maru tensed up when someone put their hand on his side, and he saw Sky standing next to him. She leaned against him, and she sighed softly. "You did everything you could, Maru. Everyone knows you're the best mechanic around. Stuff happens. You gotta move on sooner or later."

 _Hypocritical, much?_ Maru thought. _You haven't moved on from some personal stuff yourself._ "When you have to watch somebody die, kid, then we can talk."

"I had to watch Blade almost die." Sky shrugged.

Maru paused. "Well this conversation went downhill."

Sky gave him a playful shove. "Come on, Maru. I'm going to need that fire extinguisher. Can you fix it up for me?"

Maru smirked. "Well, I am 'the best mechanic around.' I think I can handle it. Meanwhile, you should get to bed. Go on."

"I already have a father, Maru. Thanks." Sky laughed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Raven." Maru said, watching her walk off. He sighed softly, going back to his work. _I hope Blade's plan works. He might be one of the few people who could help her._

* * *

"Are we sure about this?" Blade asked Nick. "I've talked with Skipper and Sparky. All these years Sky spent with them, and even they couldn't get her to delve into the details of her past. What makes you think we can?"

"Maru thinks you can too." Nick pointed out.

"Which makes both of you borderline insane." Blade countered.

"Come on, partner." Nick encouraged. "You're her Soul Connect Partner. With all the connections Sky can make, yours is the most powerful, the strongest. You can help her like she's helped you. Heck, she managed to convince me to finally reveal myself to you even when I was too chicken to do it." He gave Blade an encouraging nudge. "You can do this."

Blade took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Fine. But you're helping me."

"Done." Nick nodded. He and Blade looked to the door as Sky came in.

"Hey guys." Sky greeted. "I would've thought you'd be asleep by now."

"We were waiting for you." Blade said. "We want to talk to you."

Sky shrugged, climbing up to the platform next to her hammock bed. She began changing into her pajamas. "Okay. What about?"

"Well, Maru and I have been talking about the Soul Connection." Blade started.

"What about it?" Sky asked.

"It's just that we don't know much about it." Blade said.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Sky said sheepishly.

"No, no, it's not your fault." Blade said hurriedly.

"I just feel bad sometimes." Sky shrugged. "I mean, being a psyche human isn't exactly something that can be taught. Especially not in my case, having non-psych-man parents and being raised by vehicles. A lot of what we learn about our abilities requires trial-and-error and a heck of a lot of usually worthless research."

Blade nodded in understanding. "Maybe there's something we can do to help with that."

Sky sat on the edge of the platform, finally donned in her pajamas as she brushed her hair. "How so?"

"A memory share?" Blade suggested. "I wouldn't mind a look into your past."

Sky paused. "Oh. Um, okay."

"Really?" Blade _did not_ think it would be that easy.

"I don't see why not." Sky shrugged, climbing/jumping down to the floor. "We've done quite a bit of dream and memory sharing with you. It's only fair for you to take a look at my memories."

"Can I come?" Nick asked.

Sky laughed softly. "Sure, Nick." She came up to Blade. "So, you remember how we do this?"

"Clear your head. Focus only on the memory." Blade confirmed.

"This time around, you're going to play the psyche human." Sky said. "If you don't have a specific memory in mind, just think of a subject. We can waffle through the memories when we get to that point."

"All right." Blade nodded.

"Nick? You ready?" Sky asked.

"Yep!" Nick said excitedly.

"All right. Let's do this." Sky said. "Blade, pick a memory." She reached her hand out and placed it on Blade's muzzle. Before their eyes, the Soul Connect thread appeared out of thin air to connect Sky's heart to Blade's engine. Nick disappeared, preparing to sync with their thoughts. Blade's and Sky's irises turned snow-white, and they were propelled into Sky's memories.

* * *

 _Sky, Blade, and Nick looked around to see what memory Blade had picked. They observed the brick walls and blue roof of a two-story building and a fenced playground off to one side. A parking lot with a bus loop rested in front of them. Old brass lettering on the wall of the building read "Sterling Elementary School."_

 _Sky's eyes widened. "Blade? What the hell?"_

 _Sky didn't usually curse so strongly like that, so Blade was a little surprised. But he kept his serious face. "You said 'pick a memory.'"_

" _I didn't think you'd pick this one!" Sky snapped._

" _I let you see his death." Blade said, motioning to Nick. "The least you can do is let me see what started the pain of your past."_

 _Sky glared. "Blade, you are crossing the line."_

" _Really?" Blade raised an eye frame to her. "And you weren't crossing the line when you invaded my dreams?"_

 _Sky opened her mouth, but she realized Blade had her there. She sighed. "Please, Blade. This is my most painful memory. It's the birth of all my future painful memories."_

" _I know." Blade said, staring at Sky. "You've helped me with my pain. I want to help you with yours."_

 _Sky didn't speak. She seemed to be really thinking about it, and she was clearly torn. But she turned and motioned with her arm in an inviting gesture. Blade and Nick followed her point to see a five-year-old Sky sitting on a bench near the front door to the school. She smiled from ear to ear, swinging her legs back and forth and humming to herself. Past Sky watched the other schoolkids go out the doors and meet with their parents, and it became clear that she too waited for her parents to come pick her up. Blade had only thought about the day Sky was abandoned by her parents, and he knew—based on Sky's reaction—that this was the right memory. So he and Nick watched Past Sky to see what would happen. Nick wondered what Sky's parents would look like. Sky said she looked like her mother, but that's all Nick had to go on._

 _Sky caught sight of the strange look on Blade's and Nick's faces. "What's that look for?"_

 _Blade finally grinned. "You're just so adorable."_

" _You're a little cutie!" Nick cooed. Indeed, the five-year-old version of Sky with the red dress and sneakers looked absolutely adorable._

 _Sky face-palmed. "Oh shut up."_

 _The kids and their parents soon left. Straggling kids and parents soon followed. Past Sky sat patiently, looking around and humming a few songs. Soon, a taxi pulled up and Rosa stepped out. She jogged into the school, and then returned a few minutes with the principal._

" _Hello Skylar." The principal greeted with a gentle smile. "You're going home with this woman."_

 _Rosa knelt down to Sky's eye level with a kind smile on her lips. "Hello. My name is Rosa Lopez."_

" _Hi." Past Sky greeted. "I'm Skylar."_

" _It's very nice to meet you, Skylar." Rosa said, taking Sky's hand and leading her to the taxi. They hopped in and the taxi pulled off. The principal faded away and disappeared._

 _Blade and Nick stared at the empty space, and they realized with a start it was over. "Wait, that's it?" Nick asked._

" _That's what happened?" Blade echoed._

" _Yep." Sky nodded, walking over and plopping down on the bench. "My dad went to work. My mom walked me to school. Rosa picked me up. The end."_

 _It became one of those times when nobody knew what to say, so silence descended. Then, Nick let loose a string of Spanish that Sky didn't understand but Blade seemed to understand more than he would've liked._

" _Nick Enrique Lopez!" Blade snapped in a scolding tone._

" _Okay, don't talk to me like you're my mother." Nick huffed._

" _There's still no reason for that language!" Blade reasoned._

" _There absolutely is! How could those….those….those_ monsters _do that to her?"_

" _I'm not happy about it either. But there's no need to overreact to what happened in the past."_

" _I oughta track those little_ burros _down and—"_

" _And what? Haunt them?"_

" _I'll drive them so insane they'll be shipped to an asylum."_

 _Blade gave him a small shove, gesturing towards Sky. She hadn't spoken nor moved. She had her head bowed, her hair falling over her face. The two helicopters sighed simultaneously, and they ventured closer to Sky._

"Lo siento." _Nick said._

" _Sorry." Blade echoed._

 _Sky gave a muted sigh. "What were you expecting? More?"_

" _Yes." Blade admitted. "I mean, all they did was just drop you off and leave? What kind of parents….." He didn't finish._

" _Well, that's what happened." Sky said, glaring at the ground. She wrung her fingers, almost the point where she broke them._

" _I know this hurts." Blade said. "Sky, trust me, I know what it means to feel that kind of pain. To lose someone you care about, no matter how it happens, just hurts. But you can't keep it in."_

" _Sure you can." Sky muttered. "What moron taught you that?"_

 _Blade cracked a smirk. "You did."_

 _Sky still didn't look at him. A tense minute passed. "Why didn't they want me? I mean, I didn't ask to be born a psyche human. Was I just a bad kid so they let me go?"_

" _Sky, you can't possibly be blaming yourself for this." Nick said. "It's your parents who were bad. They gave you up for no reason at all. Just because you were a different breed of human."_

" _It's racism." Blade agreed. "That's their problem, not yours."_

" _But what if there was something I could've done to prevent it?" Sky shrugged._

" _Like what?" Blade scoffed. "Just stop being a psych-man? That ain't an option and you know it."_

" _It was never an option." Nick said. "Being a psych-man is a gift."_

" _I didn't ask for it." Sky said._

" _You don't ask for a gift." Nick countered._

" _Don't put the blame on yourself just because of your parents' actions." Blade practically ordered. "They're the ones who hated psyche humans so much they let it affect their lives."_

" _Well maybe I don't want to be a psyche human anymore!" Sky finally snapped. "Maybe I never_ wanted _to be a psych-man! I wish I didn't have my powers!"_

 _Stunned silence. Blade and Nick stared at Sky, who looked down again. Nick forced a laugh. "Come on, you don't mean that." More silence from Sky._ "Dios Mio _, you mean that."_

" _Sky, those powers make you who you are." Blade said._

" _I know, okay?" Sky growled in frustration, standing and beginning to pace back and forth. "People always tell me that. Well maybe I don't want this to be who I am. Maybe I want to be a normal person with a normal family. Maybe I wish I could be a normal human being."_

" _You keep saying 'maybe.'" Blade noted. "Is that what you really want?"_

" _I don't know." Sky threw up her hands in frustration. "Okay, sorry if I sound like the protagonist of a dramatic sitcom but apparently that's my life."_

"Cuervo _, you're an orphan who was abandoned." Nick said. "There are hundreds of other orphans like you."_

" _Oh yeah?" Sky scoffed. "I've talked to other orphans. There are plenty orphans who were abandoned. But their parents had legitimate reasons for leaving their kid. Some of them were homeless. Others weren't financially stable. Some of these parents were even teenagers who weren't ready. But they all had something in common: they left their children at orphanages to give them a chance at a better life. My parents left me because they just didn't want me." She plopped down on the bench again, sighing._

 _Blade smiled softly. "Thank you, Raven."_

" _For what?" Sky droned. "Pouring my heart and soul out to you like a wimp?"_

" _Yes." Blade chuckled. "You realize this is the first time you've been truly honest with me about how you feel about your situation? And I think it's safe to say you probably haven't done this to anyone else, even your father."_

" _Skipper doesn't need to know my pain." Sky sighed. "He has his own pain to deal with. It's also none of his business."_

" _He's your father." Blade reminded her._

" _And it's good that you talked to us." Nick said, giving Sky an encouraging nuzzle. "When you're in pain, it_ is _our business. We're your family."_

" _He's right." Blade nodded. "You got a lot of people in Propwash Junction and here that really love you. If you would be more open, talk to them more often, they can help."_

 _Sky looked to Blade, and she sighed through her nose. "I know I have people to talk to. But how exactly do you start a conversation like that? 'Hey, I'm feeling bad about my birth parents again. Can we chat?'"_

" _Yeah!" Nick said enthusiastically. "That can't be so hard, huh?"_

 _Sky raised an eyebrow, and she glanced to Blade. The red helicopter also raised an eye frame to Nick._

" _Point taken." Nick admitted._

" _Can you at least try to open up more when things are bothering you?" Blade requested. "Either to me or Nick?"_

 _Sky stared at Blade for a long moment. She gave a small smile. "Yeah. I think I can do that."_

Now _this_ is what I was hoping for. _Blade thought. "And when you go home to Propwash Junction, start talking to Skipper and Sparky more, all right?"_

" _Okay." Sky agreed._

 _Blade nodded in satisfaction. "You think this helped?"_

 _Sky bobbed her head. "Yeah. Not exactly the most fun, but healing."_

" _Atta girl." Nick said._

 _Sky's smile grew. "So, are there other memories you had in mind?"_

" _That's all right with you?" Blade asked._

" _Sure." Sky nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."_

 _Blade grinned. "Well, there is something I've wondered about. What was it like when you first met your father?"_

 _Sky laughed. "Now_ that _is an interesting memory." She looked off to one side, and the scenery changed to Propwash Junction. Blade, Nick, and Sky watched as a ten-year-old version of Sky walked with Sparky towards the hanger at the end of the runway. Sky stood beside Blade, gently leaning against him as she watched the memory. Blade noticed the Soul Connect thread appear, only this time it seemed to glow brighter than usual. Blade couldn't keep the grin off his lips._

That's what I was hoping for. It's one step closer to learning more about this connection.


	2. The Academy for Psyche Students

**Chapter Two – The Academy for Psyche Students**

Music was the best way for her to relax. After some of the stress she had felt the last month, this was absolutely necessary.

 _If my dad could see me now. Bet he's watching me. I hope I'm making him proud._

Her phone rang, and she paused her music to answer it. "Yes?"

 _"_ _Just checking in. How are things going?"_

"Oh, the usual, I suppose." She shrugged. "Not much progress, unfortunately."

 _"_ _That's all right. It happens. I've worked cases where two months passed before new evidence came up."_

"Still frustrating." She sighed. "He hasn't made a new move in a long time. But with the new term coming, there ought to be a whole slew of new students. Maybe one of them will perk his interest."

 _"_ _Keep that in mind. And keep in touch."_

"Man, this is harder than I thought. I hate being far away from you like this."

 _"_ _Oh come now. You're acting like I'm your beau."_

"You're my Soul Connect Partner. That's even better."

A chuckle on the other end. _"_ _Keep in touch, all right?"_

"As you wish, Mr. James Bond."

 _"_ _I've told you how I dislike you calling me that."_

"Yes, but it's so funny."

* * *

Sky and Dusty often liked to zip across the park for racing practice. Augerin Canyon especially became a great place to keep up their firefighting and racing skills. Whenever they did this, they tended to keep their tank/extinguisher full of retardant in case Blade radioed them in for a fire.

As they flew back to base, they noticed Windlifter just ahead. The Sikorsky carried a small crate in his harness. Curious, Dusty sped up so he and Sky could fly alongside their friend and fellow firefighter.

"Hey Windlifter!" Dusty called. "What's that you got there?"

"Mail." Windlifter replied.

"Well look at that, Dusty." Sky grinned. "We beat the mail back to base for once."

"Not quite yet." Windlifter said.

"Oh?" Dusty smirked. "You wanna bet on that?"

"Gambling is not wise, unless winning is inevitable." Windlifter said.

"That's a challenge." Sky decided. "You two ready?"

"Let's go!" Dusty said. Windlifter gave them a musing glance, but said nothing.

"On your mark. Get set." Sky tensed up, ready to speed up. "Go!"

Dusty shot off like a rocket. He and Sky whooped as they hurried back to the Air Attack base and left Windlifter in the dust. The wind whipped Sky's hair back and Dusty did a few loops just for the fun of it. They arrived at the base and landed with ease, cheering over their apparent victory. But when Dusty taxied over to the garage, he and Sky stared in shock to see Windlifter there and talking to Maru, having already unloaded the mail crate.

"Second place. But good effort." Windlifter said, claiming his victory.

"No way." Dusty gawked.

"But how did….." Sky looked back and forth from the clouds to Windlifter. "…when did…..I mean….."

"Congrats, you two." Maru said, opening the crate. "Normally, you seem to be out practicing when the mail comes in. Now you get to see how it's sorted."

"Sounds fun." Sky laughed, hopping off Dusty's wing and standing on her tiptoes to look inside the crate. "What are all those—"

"Shh!" Maru hissed. "Back off. Just watch." He shooed Sky away from the box and opened one of the side panels, spilling a couple of the letters from inside the box onto the ground. He began pulling out the letters and packages, sorting them into two piles: "Smokejumpers" out on a clear section of the runway and "Everyone else" back in the crate. When all the Smokejumpers' mail had gotten sorted out, Maru pushed the crate into the garage with Windlifter's help. Maru guided Sky and Dusty into the garage.

"Now what?" Sky asked.

"Just wait." Maru drove out of the garage. He let out a loud holler. _"_ _MAIL CALL!"_

Maru hurriedly reversed back into the garage, and just in time. The Smokejumpers charged like a herd of rhinos, whooping and cheering and almost crashing into the pile of packages Maru left for them. Sky and Dusty laughed, and even Windlifter grinned a little.

"Does this always happen?" Sky asked.

"Oh yeah." Maru nodded. "The Smokejumpers' families are always sending care packages with home-baked goods. Gotta be careful around them."

"Sounds like the time Chug's mom sent us muffins while we were racing in Florida." Dusty chuckled.

"I told you that if you didn't share, I was going to break your wing." Sky shrugged.

Blade glanced at the fray that was the Smokejumpers getting their mail, but he just rolled his eyes and continued on to the garage. "Mail's here?"

"Yep." Maru nodded, looking through the mail. "Let's see. Supplies orders. Junk mail. Bill. Postcard for Windlifter. Paychecks."

"Always like to hear that." Sky said.

Maru sorted out a couple more things. "Oh hey. Letters for our very own SEAT and Lil' Raven." He passed said letters to the mentioned firefighters.

"Hey, mine's from Ishani!" Dusty said excitedly.

"Oh really?" Sky smirked. "Another love letter?"

Dusty laughed mockingly. "For your information, she's invited me out to see her hometown, possibly when racing season is over."

"Ishani." Blade thought for a moment. "Oh yeah. She's that racer you invited here earlier this summer, right?"

"Yeah." Dusty nodded. "I wanted to show her where I work and whatnot."

"Good catch, Champ." Blade mused. "She's a keeper."

If Dusty's face didn't burn before, it certainly did now. "Need a little retardant there, buddy?" Sky laughed.

"Oh shut up." Dusty huffed. "Who's your letter from?"

Sky looked. "It's from Dad and Sparky. Feels thick, too." She ripped open the envelope, pulling out another envelope and a letter. "Huh. Interesting."

"What does the letter say?" Dusty asked. Sky looked to the letter, reading it out loud.

 _Dear Sky,_

 _Hope you are doing well with fire season at Piston Peak. Things are going well here. We are excited to see you and Dusty again._

 _This letter came for you in the mail the other day. We figured it would be best to forward it to you so you could read it. When you find out what the letter is all about, radio us and share the news! We're all interested in knowing what the letter is about. It looks awfully official._

 _Sending lots of love!_

 _Skipper and Sparky_

Sky looked to the other envelope. It did look awfully official. "Wonder what this is about."

"Who's it from?" Blade asked.

Sky glanced at the return address. Her eyes widened a little. "No way! The Academy for Psyche Students?"

"The what?" Dusty, Maru, and Blade asked at once.

"APS!" Sky repeated. "The Academy for Psyche Students. It's one of the most prestigious schools in the country, maybe even the world."

"A school for psyche humans?" Dusty clarified.

"Yeah!" Sky nodded, hurriedly opening the letter. "It's one of the few places for psyche humans to utilize, practice, and enhance their powers."

"So why didn't you go before?" Maru asked.

"Because it's crazy expensive." Sky said. "There's also a large debate on the effectiveness of these schools because a lot of things about psyche human powers are unknown."

"Well what's the letter say?" Blade asked. Sky read this letter out loud as well.

 _Dear Ms. Skylar Riley,_

 _It is my great pleasure to tell you that you are invited to attend the Academy for Psyche Students._

 _Your experience as a racer with Mr. Dusty Crophopper has shown that your abilities are great, but they could be greater. I am sure you, like many other psyche humans, are still trying to learn more about your powers. We would be honored to have you come study with us for a term, or more if you so desire. You will be awarded a full scholarship that can be renewed for multiple terms. This scholarship will cover a variety of school-related aspects like tuition, housing, meal plans, books, etc. See our website for more information about classes and their durations._

 _If you are interested, give us a call at the number below. Or, if you are unable to call, radio us at the station also listed below. Do let us know if you want to accept or deny our offer._

 _I look forward to hearing from you._

 _Sincerely,_

 _George Waller  
APS Dean_

Below the signature was a phone number and a radio station for contact. "A full scholarship?" Sky breathed.

"That's so cool!" Dusty said.

"Congratulations, Raven." Blade nodded.

"So then what kinds of classes will you take?" Maru asked.

"Not sure." Sky shrugged. "Hey, is there a computer down at the lodge?"

"I think so." Dusty nodded. "Come on. Let's check this thing out!"

"Keep your radios on." Blade called as they left.

"Can do!" Sky nodded as she hopped onto Dusty.

"Yes sir!" Dusty called back. He took off, taking Sky towards the lodge. Sky kept her letter tucked into her pocket, and it took all of her willpower to not start bouncing excitedly. She had heard much about this academy. Even if its usefulness was debated, Sky wouldn't mind looking into it for the sake of learning more about her abilities. Dusty landed at the lodge, and he and Sky hurried inside to find a computer. They passed Jammer on the way in. After explaining their mission, Jammer offered for them to use his office computer.

"The internet may be a little slow." Jammer warned, logging into the computer for Sky to use. "But it'll serve your purpose."

"Great." Sky said, reading the APS website off for Jammer to type in. The website loaded, and an array of colors and hi-definition pictures appeared on the screen.

"Wow." Dusty breathed.

"Looks pretty fancy." Jammer noted.

"It's a high-class school, I guess." Sky shrugged. "I mean, there aren't a lot of schools out there for psyche humans, but this is one of the best." She couldn't exactly use the tire mouse and keyboard, so she guided Jammer around the website. She, Dusty, and Jammer were amazed by what they found. The campus had old-looking buildings, including a Gothic style library, and a couple dormitories that seemed to be themed depending on the building. The class list included everything from "How to Heal" and "Connections 101."

"How come you didn't go to this school again?" Dusty asked.

"Because it's a boarding school." Sky shrugged. "And we were doing racing practice. Besides, this place is all the way in New Mexico." She pointed to the map on the screen, showing the school's location. The nearest town seemed to be Alamo, New Mexico, and the school rested right next to the Cibola National Forest.

"So do you think you'll go?" Jammer asked. "Sure looks promising."

"Maybe." Sky shrugged.

"Just maybe?" Dusty chuckled. "You were really excited about it when you got the letter."

"Yeah, but I've never been to actual classes." Sky said. "I was in grade school until fourth grade and then took classes online."

"There's not much of a difference." Dusty said. "You just have to get used to the fact that you'll be surrounded by other students learning the same things you are."

"I'll think about it." Sky said. "But maybe I should call Skipper and Sparky about it." She stood up. "Thanks for the help, Jammer."

"My pleasure." Jammer nodded.

* * *

When Sky and Dusty returned to base, the rest of the firefighters gathered around excitedly to hear about this distinguished school that accepted Sky. Sky told them everything she and Dusty found out, and it just made everyone else more excited. But Sky still wanted to talk to Skipper and Sparky about it first. So she, Dusty, and Blade gathered around the radio in the garage to give a call to Propwash Junction. Skipper and Sparky sounded happy about the school, but also a little concerned.

 _"_ _It's just that you'll be pretty far from home."_ Skipper said. _"_ _Even the races you and Dusty go to involved me, Sparky, Chug, and Dottie going with you."_

"Yeah." Sky nodded. "But it would be a great time to experiment with my powers."

 _"_ _Is there a time that would be good to take classes?"_ Sparky asked.

"Off-season, I'm at home for the holidays." Sky said. "And I don't want this to interfere with Dusty and my racing and firefighting."

"We can take a break from racing for the sake of something like this." Dusty said.

 _"_ _Well, when does the next round of classes start?"_ Skipper asked.

"Beginning of September." Sky answered. "They last until a few days before Thanksgiving. Fire season has been extended to about halfway through September."

"You've been here since mid-July." Blade reminded her. "Honestly, you could miss a few weeks to take advantage of this."

"You sure?" Sky asked.

"It's a great opportunity for you." Blade reasoned.

 _"_ _Is this something you want to do?"_ Skipper asked. _"_ _You're the one who would be taking the classes."_

Sky thought for a moment. "Well, yeah. It sounds fun." Even after finding her Soul Connection with Blade, Sky hadn't seen much of a change in her powers. The Soul Connect had grown stronger, but that was it. If she could explore her abilities more, maybe she could become stronger. She could use her powers to help with her jobs.

 _"_ _Would you be all right living on your own for almost three months?"_ Skipper asked.

"I took a trip around the world, didn't I?" Sky shrugged.

"You took that trip with me." Dusty reminded her.

 _"_ _And you almost crashed into the Pacific, last time I checked."_ Sparky added.

"Who knows what kind of trouble you can get into alone?" Blade mused.

"You are _not_ helping." Sky told them. "Dad, I'm sure I'll be fine. I will keep in touch and stay out of trouble."

Skipper didn't answer for a moment, clearly thinking about it. _"_ _Well, I suppose this would be good for you. Sparky and I were never the best teachers about psych-man powers."_

"That's not your fault, Dad." Sky said. "Psych-man abilities can't always be taught."

 _"_ _But at this school, you may be able to learn something you couldn't find out on your own."_ Skipper said. _"_ _So you should go for at least a quarter. Do some experimenting. But you behave and be responsible, young lady. I'll drag you home if I have to."_

"Dad, you act like I'm not twenty-one." Sky teased. "Come on. You know me. At the most, I'm just mischievous."

"More like evil." Dusty muttered, only for Sky to whap him in the nose.

Skipper and Sparky laughed. _"_ _So do you think you'll go?"_ Sparky asked.

"Yeah. I'd love to." Sky decided.

 _"_ _Then give us the details as you get them."_ Skipper said. _"_ _Can't wait to hear about everything."_

"Sounds good, Dad." Sky nodded.

 _"_ _Great!"_ Sparky cheered. _"_ _Propwash Junction, signing off!"_

Sky signed off as well. She, Dusty, and Blade made their way out of the garage. "So, Dusty, what about our racing?" Sky asked. "It won't be easy to race while I'm taking classes."

"We can do it on the weekends or something." Dusty said. "Besides, I'm going to accept Ishani's invitation and take some time off to go visit her in India."

"Oh really?" Sky smirked playfully. "Are we sure that wasn't a love letter you got in the mail?"

"Shut up." Dusty rolled his eyes.

Sky laughed. "It's okay. Go get 'em, Casanova."

"Sky." Dusty whined.

"Relax, Dusty!" Sky laughed. "I like Ishani."

"Good-lookin' lady." Blade chuckled.

"Makes me wonder how you ended up with her." Maru teased as he passed them.

Dusty suddenly felt very hot with embarrassment. "Would you all just stop it?!"

* * *

"I am so proud of you, _Cuervo!_ " Nick said. "This sounds so cool!"

Sky laughed as she pulled on her pajamas. "I certainly hope it'll be fun. The secretary I talked to when I radioed the school was pleasant. I think I might read through the information packet again on the plane." She looked to Blade. "You sure it's okay that I'm missing part of fire season for this?"

"You're leaving in two days, Raven." Blade said. "A little late to back out now."

"I just want to make sure. I mean, my jobs come first." Sky said.

"Family should come first." Blade corrected. "Job second. But this is a chance for you to learn more about your powers. You could learn more about the Soul Connect. I say go."

Sky grinned. "Well, all right. Wish you could come with me. If I'm going to be learning about my powers, you ought to be with me."

"And what's Blade supposed to do while you have class?" Nick snickered. "He ain't exactly the best at entertaining himself when there's no fire around."

"I got you to talk to, don't I?" Blade smirked. "Still, I can understand you father's hesitance, Raven. You're going to be far from home and by yourself."

"I promise I'll be all right." Sky assured. "I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can. But just in case," Blade looked to the deceased helicopter in the hanger. "Nick, why don't you go with her?"

"Really?" Nick asked excitedly.

"Really?" Sky asked in a similar tone mixed with confusion.

"I would also feel more comfortable if someone I knew went with you." Blade said. "Just to keep an eye on you."

"What do you say, Nick?" Sky asked. "I wouldn't mind the company."

"Yeah!" Nick agreed. "I'd love to!"

"Done." Blade nodded. "But you realize this means you both need to stay out of trouble, got it?"

"Come on." Nick scoffed dismissively. "When do we ever get into trouble?"

"You generally cause the trouble." Blade corrected.

"Since went?" Sky asked.

Blade raised an eye frame. "The prank war against Maru? And the _waterfall_ incident?"

Sky and Nick exchanged looks and put on sheepish smiles. "We'll be good."


	3. A New Friend, An Old Enemy

**A/N: In this chapter, you'll get to see some original poetry from me!**

* * *

 **Chapter Three – A New Friend, An Old Enemy**

"Bag checked?"

"Check."

"Got your backpack?"

"Check."

"Guitar?"

"Check."

"Ticket?"

"Check."

"Phone?"

"Check."

"Hug for your favorite former crop duster?"

Sky laughed, hugging Dusty and receiving a nuzzle from the plane in reciprocation. He, Blade, and Maru joined Sky and an invisible Nick to see them off at the airport. Sky felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. This would be the first time she would be alone on a trip, if one didn't count Nick's presence. But she was determined. She was going to the Academy for Psyche Students, and she was going to learn everything she could about her powers.

"So you are aware of the plan, right?" Blade asked.

Sky nodded in confirmation. "I fly to Albuquerque, take a coach bus to Alamo, and there's a separate bus that goes from Alamo to the school. I also have the name and number of the student guide who's going to meet me at the school and show me to my dorm."

"Very good." Blade nodded. "Make sure you give us a call when you arrive."

"I know, Blade." Sky laughed. "I have to call you, I have to call Dusty, I have to call Skipper and Sparky, I have to call Mayday and Rosa and even Windlifter. Basically, I'm going to be announcing to the entire world that I had arrived at APS."

"As long as you get there safely." Blade said. He chuckled when Sky hugged him too, and he gave her a nuzzle. "Be safe. Keep in touch."

"You got it." Sky nodded. She looked to Maru and spread her arms. "Maru?"

"Eh, I don't do mushy feely junk." Maru rolled his eyes.

"Come on, you know you love me." Sky said. Maru scoffed and rolled his eyes, and then nearly shouted in disgust when Sky gave him her biggest hug. Dusty and Blade laughed at the sight.

"Keep an eye on her, okay?" Blade whispered to Nick.

"Don't even have to ask." Nick whispered back.

"Come on, Sky!" Dusty encouraged. "You're gonna miss your flight."

"Okay, okay." Sky nodded, shouldering her guitar case. She gave Blade and Dusty each one more hug before she walked off to her gate with Nick by her side. They made their way towards the plane, up a ramp with the rest of the human and vehicle passengers. Just before they boarded the plane, Sky and Nick looked to the windows of the airport where Blade, Dusty, and Maru watched. They waved and called their goodbyes, seeing their friends return the sentiments.

"We're on our way, huh?" Nick whispered as Sky took her seat.

"You bet." Sky nodded.

The plane soon took off. Being a 6:15 a.m. flight, Sky had to sleep the entire way and only woke up for her layover in Phoenix when she had breakfast. Five hours later, the plane touched down in Albuquerque and Sky and Nick deplaned. Sky wasn't used to being a passenger on a plane. She spent much of her time riding Dusty or Blade, and that required her to be alert and tense. She was also quite stiff from her not-exactly-comfortable sleep on the plane. But she was excited to have time to phone everyone back home, grab lunch, and find the bus that would take her to Alamo. Nick loved being back in his old home state. While they were on the bus to Alamo, he pointed out the different aspects of New Mexico weather and the various animals one could find in their backyard. Sky showed sincere interest in this, and it certainly helped the time pass by. It took two hours to reach Alamo, and they made it just in time to catch the next bus to the academy. That ride took twenty minutes of driving down an old dirt road.

" _Caramba_. This place is kind of in the middle of nowhere." Nick commented.

Sky checked her phone, seeing the time to be about 2 p.m. "I'll just be glad to get there. Besides, look at that forest. All that wilderness is going to be right in the school's backyard. I wonder if I'll get a couple hikes in before the weather gets cold."

"We'll see." Nick stared out the window and something caught his eye. His jaw dropped. "Oh…my…Ford…."

Sky followed his gaze, and her jaw dropped. "Whoa."

It was the Academy for Psyche Students. They were almost there. The school had a stone wall around it and metal gates, and in clear view just behind the entrance stood a castle-like building that looked like a cross between Hogwarts and Kylemore Abbey. With the trees flanking the road, the scene looked like something out of a fairytale book. Large brass letters atop the metal gate read "Academy for Psyche Students." The gates opened, and the bus pulled in around a sort of bus loop to stop between an elegant stone fountain and a stone pathway leading to the castle-like building. Everyone unloaded from the bus, and Sky couldn't stop staring at everything.

"This is amazing." She breathed.

"So cool." Nick sighed, materializing beside her.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be invisible?" Sky hissed, careful to be discrete so nobody heard or noticed them.

"Don't worry, _Cuervo._ " Nick assured. "I only let you and Blade see me."

Sky took comfort in that. Besides, she liked that she could make sure Nick was near her so she could keep an eye on him. "Okay. Let's get to my dorm. I want to walk around and check out the place." She scanned the area, discovering a group of young adults that looked like students. But these people wore forest green shirts with the APS logo on the back and golden yellow lettering on the front that read "Student Leaders." Each student held a sign with names on them. When Sky found her name, the girl holding it waved with a cheery smile.

"Hey!" the girl greeted. "Name's Rachel."

"Hey. I'm Skylar." Sky greeted.

"I know." Rachel giggled. "I watch air racing all the time. Come on. I'll show you your dorm." Sky nodded, readjusting her guitar and backpack and dragging her suitcase behind her as she followed Rachel. "Kinda nice to have a celebrity or two around here."

"Would be nice to see more vehicles around here." Sky noted. "Pro-human or something?"

Rachel laughed. "Nah, that's just how things turn out. It is a school for psyche humans, after all. Most of the vehicles around here are actually professors. Some of the psyche humans bring their Soul Connect Partners. That being said, only about a handful of the students here have actually found their Soul Connect Partners."

"How many students are there?" Sky asked.

Rachel thought for a moment. "I'd say maybe four hundred."

"Wow. Small classes." Sky mused.

"The last graduating class was about forty-eight students." Rachel shrugged. "It's a combination of the number of psyche humans in the world and the fact that it's a little expensive to come here. Lots of other psyche humans like to go to the other schools or take the recreational classes around the country."

"Makes sense." Sky said. "Why'd you come here?"

"Thought it would be the best place to go." Rachel said. "It's also the closest to where I live. I'm on financial aid."

"Cool." Sky nodded. "I got a scholarship."

"Nice!" Rachel said. They arrived at a brick building, about five stories high, with black shutters and a set of dark brown wooden doors. The area around the building was grassy with trees dotted around. Several other students lounged around outside, and several more unloaded things from moving trucks to move in. Rachel led Sky inside the building, where Sky and Nick discovered grass green carpets and rustic-looking décor.

"Nice place." Sky commented.

"Each of the dorms has a theme." Rachel explained. "This is the Wildlife Hall. The entire place is wilderness themed."

"Sounds great." Sky said with a wide smile. "Reminds me of home."

Rachel giggled. "I'm glad. Well, check-in is at the front desk there. You'll get a key that works for the front door and your room. You're welcome to walk around the campus, but tomorrow the Student Leaders are giving formal tours in addition to helping with class registration. For now, just move in and relax. Welcome to the Academy for Psyche Students."

"Thanks." Sky said gratefully, waving goodbye as Rachel left.

"Well let's go!" Nick encouraged. "Let's see what your room is like!"

Sky giggled softly and walked over to the front desk to get her key. Her room was on the third floor, room 313, and she hurried up the stairs to see what it would be like. Nick helped her along, also eager to see the room considering he would be staying there with Sky.

"307…309…311…ah, 313!" Sky found a door that had metal numbers on it that read 313, along with a small sign above the numbers that said "Deere Room." "Huh. I like it." Sky mused. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, taking a look around. The semi-spacious room had a bed next to a large window, a dresser next to the door, and a desk pushed against a wall with a swivel chair. The wallpaper was dark green with elegant flower designs and the floor had cream-colored carpet.

"Looks cool." Nick mused. "A little fancier than I thought it would be."

"I hear this place used to be an estate." Sky said. "But it was abandoned and left that way for decades. I read that the designer of the school kept most of the original decorations to cut down on the cost of remodeling."

"Still a cool place." Nick said.

"It's amazing." Sky sighed, dropping her guitar case and backpack onto her bed. "And, you know, it's cool that I finally have my own room instead of an area blocked off by a curtain."

"I had to share my room with my sister." Nick said. "Never blocked off my side with a curtain."

"Well, Sparky and Dad didn't have an extra room for me, so they had to block off a section of the hanger." Sky shrugged. "It was nice, but this certainly offers more privacy."

"I think this is gonna be a good experience for you, Sky." Nick said.

"Yeah, definitely." Sky said. She sat on her bed and opened her guitar case, pulling out the instrument. "Best of all, my guitar survived." She plucked at a couple of the strings just to make sure.

"So does that mean we can hear a pretty song out of you?" Nick asked.

"I don't sing in front of people, Nick." Sky reminded him.

"You should." Nick encouraged. "You have such a beautiful voice."

"Maybe when I'm alone. But when I'm in front of someone, I'll just sound stupid." Sky said.

"Nah, you won't sound stupid. You'll sound stupid if you go like this." Nick suddenly burst into a series of very bizarre, very crazy sounds, making funny faces that mostly resulted in his tongue sticking out. Sky slapped her hands over her mouth to hide her laughs.

"Shh!" Sky hissed between her gut-bursting laughs. "Somebody's going to hear you!"

Nick gave a mile-wide smile. "Nah. You're the only one who can right now."

Sky giggled, shaking her head. "You are so silly."

"Still doesn't deny the fact that you're a great singer." Nick gave Sky's guitar a nudge with his nose. "Come on, _Cuervo._ Let's hear that pretty voice. You always say that you express yourself through music."

"By myself." Sky insisted.

"Not now." Nick countered. "You seem so happy about all this. Sing something happy."

Sky could see Nick would be arguing this until the tractors came home. "Fine." She tuned her guitar and began thinking of a song that could describe her current mood. Soon, she thought of just the song, and she began playing.

 _Took a chance on a new adventure  
Packed a bag and headed on out  
I don't know what I'll find here  
Just gotta know what I'm about_

 _I won't let anything stop me  
This is my chance to find my place  
Maybe I'll find a couple new friends  
Maybe I just need some space_

 _It's a new adventure in a world unknown  
I feel my family with me, I'm not alone  
Who knows what I'll see on this journey I'll take?  
I don't think I'll need a break_

Sky finished her strumming, and she felt her cheeks burn as she looked to Nick. The ghostly helicopter smiled broadly. Sky cleared her throat. "I….uh…..you know, it's just the song that came to mind, so….uh…."

"You don't need to explain yourself, _Cuervo._ " Nick assured. "You're just being you. I love it when you do that."

Sky's entire face burned, and she rubbed her guitar. "Shut up. You are making me blush."

"Good. It's my job." Nick gave her a playful nudge, making Sky giggle.

"Well, well, well. I thought I heard music in here."

Sky and Nick looked up and towards the door. A nineteen-year-old woman stood there, her skin slightly tan from a desert environment with freckles dotted across her nose and cheeks. Her rust-colored brunette hair looked a little wild and unkempt, just above her shoulders in length, with cobalt blue streaks. Her eyes were a pretty shade of crystal blue. She wore denim shorts, a yellow T-shirt with a blue 51 on the front, a pair of cobalt blue glasses, and a cobalt blue racing jacket that had some stickers across it. Two things stood out on her: a bullet casing on a chain that served as a necklace and the fact that she wore roller skates instead of regular shoes. The skates added enough extra height that she stood as tall as Sky.

"Hey there." Sky greeted, setting her guitar aside. She could tell the newcomer hadn't noticed Nick, which means he was true to his word about staying visible only to Sky and Blade.

"I heard I was going to have a new neighbor." The brunette said. "Didn't know she would be a music aficionado."

"It's not much." Sky shrugged, standing and walking over to the girl. "But it's fun."

"Well I'm your next door neighbor. I live in 311, the Hornet Room." The girl said. "Name's Harley Hudson."

"So that's why you're so familiar." Sky said. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere."

"I know, I know." Harley shrugged. "Daughter of the Hudson Hornet and crew chief for Lightning McQueen. If I had a dollar for every time I heard one or both of those things, I could pay for a year's worth of tuition here."

"Still cool." Sky said.

"Even if I was raised by a car?" Harley asked.

"You kidding?" Sky scoffed. "My dad's a Corsair."

Harley laughed. "I like you already."

Sky laughed. "Well I'm Skylar Riley. Most people call me 'Sky.'"

"I know." Harley shrugged. "I've seen you and Dusty Crophopper race. You know, I've been talking to Lightning about him meeting you two."

"Why?" Sky asked.

"You're champion air racers." Harley said. "He's a champion racecar. It's good to make connections."

"I can see why you took over for your father." Sky mused.

Harley laughed. "It's definitely a cool job. I love it."

"That's always good." Sky nodded.

"Yeah." Harley agreed. "So, are you a Connector?"

"A what?" Sky asked.

"A Connector." Harley repeated. "That is, have you found your Soul Connect Partner yet?"

"Oh yeah." Sky confirmed. "A couple years back. He's the chief of fire and rescue at Piston Peak National Park."

"Cool." Harley nodded. "I'm a Connector too. My Partner's a British police officer. The connection has given me ultra-powerful healing abilities and force fields."

"Really?" Sky asked, curious.

"I can heal people, both vehicle and human, without the injuries carrying through the connection to me." Harley explained. "The force fields are new. Recently mastered them." She peered out to the hallway, and Sky followed her gaze to a couple young men who harassed random people as they walked. Harley discretely raised her hand, palm out towards the boys. A small, blue-green, translucent bubble appeared on the ground, tripping the boys and sending them tumbling to the ground. Harley and Sky struggled to stifle their laughs.

"Not bad." Sky nodded.

"She's good." Nick admitted.

"So what powers have you gotten?" Harley asked.

"Uh, nothing new." Sky shrugged. "Nothing I've noticed, at least."

"Really?" Harley asked. "Interesting. Usually the Soul Connect is what activates the powers of a psyche human. The powers we have are influenced/hinted by our birthmarks."

"Where'd you learn that?" Sky asked.

"Personal research I did before I came here." Harley shrugged. "What's your birthmark?" Sky turned to show her birthmark. Harley studied it for a moment. "Hmm. Interesting. I would guess something relating to the elements." She shrugged. "Well, I'm sure whatever powers you have will awaken soon."

Sky shrugged. "I guess." She already liked this Harley girl. She was funny and friendly.

"You want a tour of the campus?" Harley offered. "Come on. I'll show you around."

"Sure." Sky nodded, discretely motioning for Nick to join them.

They walked out and Harley led the way around the campus. The late evening air was hot yet comfortable, and the busy nature of new students moving in made the area lively. Harley pointed out other dormitories, a large dining hall that had a mall food court atmosphere, a gym on the edge of the campus, and many wide, grassy areas where the students lounged about and relaxed. To Sky, APS was like a college campus with an almost Hogwarts feel to it. With the forest just nearby, and the national park still open for hiking, Sky couldn't think of a better place to live save for Propwash Junction and Piston Peak. Nick liked it too. He would still keep an eye on Sky, but he didn't really see a problem with the school at the moment.

"So you'll notice there's a nice mix of buildings that are being used and those that have been abandoned for who-knows-how-long." Harley explained as they walked. "The dean is still working on getting these buildings remodeled. The classes are kind of scattered, depending on which class you take. Plan accordingly."

"You seem to know a lot about this place." Sky noted.

"I've been here for the past three months." Harley explained.

"Summer classes?" Sky guessed.

"No, that's just how long the classes last." Harley said. "Each term only lasts three months each, with a break from Thanksgiving until March. Sometimes they offer extra seminars over the winter and spring. But by having classes only last this long, it allows students to fully expand on their powers. It's rigorous, but fun."

"Sounds like it." Sky agreed. "Can't wait to see what I can learn. By the way, where do you stand on the validity of all this?"

"I think any teaching you can find, you should take advantage of." Harley said. "There's so much that's unknown about psych-man powers. It's great to learn about what we do know and try to expand on that knowledge for current and future generations."

"Point taken." Sky nodded. "All I know about my abilities have come from experiences with my family and friends."

"Oh yeah?" Harley asked. "Like what?"

"Well, I learned that I can change people's dreams." Sky shrugged. "My dad and my Soul Connect Partner sometimes suffer from bad nightmares, so I go into these dreams and I change them to help them sleep."

"Interesting." Harley mused. _Dream changing. That's not very common._

Sky shrugged, but then grunted in surprise when she ran into someone. "Oh, sorry about that!" She paused when she saw the person she ran into turn around. This person was apparently a 22-year-old, fair-skinned woman with bottle blonde hair and mud-brown eyes. She wore designer jeans, dark pink heels, a pink top, and a white headband with what looked like faux diamonds.

"OMG." The blonde scoffed. "You must be joking."

"Samantha Waller." Sky said. "What in Chrysler's name are you doing here?"

"I'm a psyche human, loser." Samantha said snidely.

"Funny." Sky crossed her arms. "I don't recall seeing a birthmark when we were in fourth grade."

"It's in a very intimate place." Samantha said, sounding rather proud.

"Sure." Sky nodded, clearly not buying it. "And those diamonds are real."

"They are." Samantha insisted.

"Don't flatter yourself." Harley scoffed. "That headband came from an accessory shop and your psych-man birthmark is on your calf."

"Perverted much?" Samantha scoffed.

"It ain't perverted if you choose to walk around the pool in a bikini." Harley said. "I'm sorry, you two know each other?"

"We were in grade school together until I moved to Propwash Junction." Sky explained. _Thank Chrysler I was homeschooled after that._

"I cannot believe they let a little tramp like you in here." Samantha sighed, staring at Sky like she were an ugly dog.

Sky looked ready to punch Samantha, but Nick gave her a nudge to stop her. Harley stepped in front of Sky, glaring at Samantha. "Honestly, Samantha, insulting people like that is just sad. I don't appreciate you insulting my friend. So why don't you run along and hang out with people willing to lower themselves to your level?"

"Don't think you're above me." Samantha said. "You're just another little rat."

Harley blinked, unaffected. "Wow. So pathetic."

Samantha's nostrils flared a bit. "You know, the room you're in used to be called the 'Horney Room.' Makes you wonder what that says about the resident living there."

Harley had the most deadpan of all deadpan stares. "A: that sentence is redundant. B: I don't know what that means nor do I care. C: that's not even true. Please walk away before you make a bigger fool of yourself."

Samantha scoffed in disgust, pushing past the girls. "You're both pathetic!"

"She's one to talk." Harley muttered.

Sky rolled her eyes, rubbing her temple. "How long has she been here?"

"Too long." Harley sighed. "And you've had to deal with her before?"

"School bully." Sky sighed. "One of the worst, too."

"Want me to spook her?" Nick whispered. He yelped quietly when Sky discretely elbowed him.

"Don't worry about it." Harley said. "She is so not worth it. Come on. Let's go get dinner at the dining hall."

"Sounds good." Sky agreed. She didn't like that she'd be in the same place as Samantha. She was one of the few bullies Sky remembered because of how terrible she acted. Sky often equated Samantha to Ripslinger, if not worse. But she wouldn't let this get in the way. She had a new friend, and the academy looked amazing.

By the end of the day, Sky was so tired she didn't have the energy to unpack her bag. She just flopped down on her bed and succumbed to her exhaustion. She started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Nick asked.

Sky smiled broadly at him. "For the first time in a long time, I am excited to start school."


	4. First Day Bonding

**Chapter Four – First Day Bonding**

"Okay! How do I look?" Sky asked, doing a turn.

Nick took a look and saw Sky in her typical jeans, sneakers, and firefighting T-shirt. "Like Skylar Amelia Riley ready to take on the world."

Sky laughed. "I'm both excited and a little nervous. But I think it'll be fun! I can't wait to see what I learn."

"Let me know how it goes." Nick said, moving to settle on the bed.

"You're coming with me." Sky said, shouldering her backpack.

"I don't think so, _Cuervo._ " Nick sighed, stretching his landing gear and preparing for a nap. "I graduated from college so I could stop going to school."

"Not today." Sky marched over and grabbed one of Nick's landing skids, pulling him off her bed and dragging him out the door.

"Hey!" Nick whined. "No fair taking advantage of my feathery ghost weight!"

Nick soon gave in and followed Sky to her first class. They chatted quietly on the way, marveling at the sight of the school in the sunshine. Other students conversed on their way to their classes, giving an almost picturesque view of a first day of school. Sky's first class was in building that looked newer compared to most of the others on campus, and the classroom was a medium-sized lecture hall.

"Hey Sky!" Harley waved from her seat a couple rows up from the front. "Over here!"

"Hey!" Sky greeted, taking the seat next to Harley. "You taking this class too?"

"Didn't have room for it in my schedule last term." Harley shrugged.

"So how basic is it?" Sky asked. "If it's called 'Connections 101.'"

"It's just the simplest name they could come up with, I suppose." Harley said. "From what I've heard, this class covers both basic and advanced topics in making and strengthening connections between psyche humans and vehicles."

"Cool." Sky nodded. "I certainly hope I learn something new from this."

"Oh yeah. You make a connection with Crophopper when you race, right?" Harley said.

"It's a special connection he and I developed." Sky confirmed.

"That's so awesome." Harley said.

" _Mujer del diablo_ at ten o'clock." Nick whispered.

"What?" Sky asked.

"I said that's so awesome." Harley repeated.

Sky blinked. "Oh. Yeah, it's really cool." Harley turned away to type something in her computer, and Sky turned to Nick. "What is it?" Nick gestured towards the door at the front of the room, and Sky turned around and groaned.

"What is it?" Harley asked.

"A _mujer del diablo_ , as my foster mother would've put it." Sky droned.

Harley followed Sky's gaze and also groaned. Samantha cast the two of them a disgusted look before swishing her hair back and walking to her seat just a few rows above them. "Great. The Queen of Hearts."

"I almost wish she would say off with my head." Sky said. "It would be sweet relief."

"I'll supply the axe." Harley agreed.

 _So amusing that these two would rather be decapitated than suffer the presence of that young woman._ Nick laughed quietly.

A car entered the room: a silver Toyota SUV 2000 with electric blue eyes. "All right, ladies and gentlemen!" the car called. "Take your seats, please, and we will start the class."

"Is that our lecturer?" Sky asked Harley.

"APS Professor Thomas Wheeler." Harley reported. "Thirty-seven years old, originally from Portland, Oregon. Studied the physiology and psychology of psyche humans at St. Wheeliam's University and has taught here at APS for the last fifteen years."

Sky stared at Harley, letting out a small laugh. "Where on earth did you learn that?"

Harley paused. "Just some extra research I did because I'm a total weirdo."

Sky laughed. "Nah. The weirdos have more fun anyway." Harley laughed too.

"Good morning." Thomas Wheeler greeted. "I am Professor Wheeler, and I am your Connections 101 lecturer. Welcome. And to the returners, welcome back. Today will be a rundown of the syllabus and beginning the first lesson. Please look at the syllabus now as I discuss the topics we will cover." He didn't even wait for the students to obey as he activated a slideshow. "I do hope you enjoy this class. The first week will be spent studying how effective connections are made with vehicles. After that, we will cover several different topics that focus on maintaining connections, strengthening them, etc." He paused when he noticed someone raise their hand politely. "Yes, Miss…."

"Riley. Skylar Riley, sir." Sky said. "I was just wondering if the curriculum included studying Soul Connections."

"Don't you think that would be mentioned in the syllabus?" Samantha sassed. "You idiot."

Sky stuck her tongue in her cheek, looking quite irritated. "Can someone tell that twit, 'Shut up'?" Harley whispered.

"Ms. Waller, I would appreciate it if you could hold off on your attitude until after the class." Professor Wheeler requested in a rather bored tone. "To answer your question—which is actually not listed in the syllabus—Ms. Riley: yes, we will be taking a few classes to study Soul Connections. This will include their pros and cons, abilities that go with it, and ways to make it stronger."

"Thank you." Sky said. Maybe she should've waited until after the talk to ask, but she wanted to take this class to help the connection she made with Dusty and the Soul Connection with Blade. She was eager to find out what she would learn. That wasn't so wrong. Then again, why was she worried? Samantha was a jerk, anyway.

* * *

Nick eventually fell asleep in the middle of the two-hour lecture. But Sky gently jerked him awake so they could go to their next class, which was healing techniques. After that, Nick encouraged Sky to take advantage of her lunch break to actually eat lunch.

"Hey Sky." Harley said, joining the raven-haired woman in line at the dining hall.

"Hey Harley." Sky greeted. "How are classes treating you?"

"Good." Harley nodded. "I have a third class this evening, before dinner. It's supposed to be a fascinating course on psyche human psychology."

"Sounds interesting." Sky agreed. "The healing class I'm taking looks cool."

"Did psyche human healing give you those scars?" Harley asked as they sat down at a table near the windows. "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"These actually came from a crash." Sky said, pointing to the scars on her arms. "But I got this from psyche human healing." She began pulling up her shirt.

"You aren't very shy, huh?" Harley teased.

"I'm showing you my midriff. I'm not flashing you." Sky pointed out. She pulled her shirt up a ways to show the burn scar on her side. "This was from helping a medic heal my Soul Connect Partner after he received a serious burn."

"Oh really?" Harley mused, a little shocked by the horrific red scar that didn't seem to bother Sky. "Working as a firefighter certainly comes with its dangers."

"Can't be any different from working with a police officer." Sky shrugged, pulling her shirt back down.

"It's a little dangerous now and then." Harley nodded. "But also fun most of the time."

Sky bobbed her head. Then she noticed something and hurriedly held up her textbook to hide her and Harley's faces. "Incoming Queen of the Drama Queens."

Harley understood, carefully peering over the edge of the book to watch Samantha pass by with a posse of other girls. She sighed as Sky put the book down. "Don't mind her. She's just…..well, she's a lot of things, but many of those words aren't exactly appropriate for a lady to say."

"Is that you talking or your father?" Sky asked.

"Both." Harley admitted. "Also talking are my Soul Connect Partner and my current surrogate father who's a police sheriff."

Sky laughed, but then sighed. "I don't get it. I mean, she was a jerk in grade school, but she didn't get away with nearly as much."

"You wanna know how she does it?" Harley asked, readjusting her glasses. "Her father is the dean of this academy."

"What?" Sky asked.

" _Que?"_ Nick asked, almost loud enough for Harley to hear.

"Samantha Waller's father is George Waller, the dean of the Academy for Psyche Students." Harley explained. "She's been here a couple years. Not only does she get to come here for free, she uses her status as The Dean's Daughter as an excuse to act however she wants. Annoying? Yes. Can we do anything about it? Not really."

Sky sighed in irritation. "Eh, don't let it bother you. It's not worth it to get upset over a jerk. Trust me, I know."

"From racing or firefighting?" Harley asked.

"Both." Sky said.

"Both." Nick muttered at the same time.

Harley nodded, humming in thought. "Hey, do you have any more classes?"

"Just a class on psyche humans through history." Sky said. "Looked interesting."

"How about we have dinner in the dorm and chat?" Harley suggested. "I would love to get to know you more."

"Sure!" Sky nodded. She checked the time. "Oh, I almost forgot. I was supposed to call my dad after lunch. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

"Great! See ya!" Harley waved as Sky walked off.

"She seems nice." Nick mused.

"Yeah." Sky agreed. "I like her."

Harley continued eating, but a few minutes later her phone rang. "Hello? Hudson speaking." Her smile dropped. "Have you been spying on me again? Do you have any idea how ironic this is?" A pause as she listened to her caller. "She's just a new friend. I'm allowed to make new friends." Another pause. "Okay, yes, it's dangerous. But you gotta trust me on this one. Skylar isn't like the other students I've met. She's different." Pause. "How? Well, for one thing, she seems to have the power of dreamscape. That's extremely rare. Plus, I was able to do a telepathic medical scan with my powers, and already I can feel her power readings might be off the charts. I'm telling you, there's something about her that is interesting. Just let me get to know her more." A pause. "I'll keep you updated. Just trust me. I think I've found something that could help us."

* * *

"What is your favorite kind of ethnic food?" Sky asked. "I always like Chinese or Japanese food."

"I love old-fashioned Southern cuisine." Harley shrugged. "Not exactly ethnic, but it's what I go for. If I had to choose outside this country, I would choose Japanese sushi."

Sky hummed in musing, and she stuck another chopstick-full of noodles into her mouth. After getting Chinese food from the dining hall, Harley and Sky returned to the latter's dorm room to get to know each other. Harley suggested a game where they pose questions both of them could answer. Nick hunkered down next to Sky, excited to know more about both of the girls. Sky, however, was aware of this, and tried to keep her questions from being too revealing.

"Favorite drink?" Harley asked, finishing one of her spring rolls.

"Hot or iced?" Sky asked.

"Both." Harley said. "I like sweet peach iced tea and hot cocoa."

"Okay." Sky thought about it. "Hot-wise, I'm torn between tea and a good cup of coffee. Cold drinks, I'm going to have to go with corn juice."

Harley nearly choked on her rice, and she took a drink of her water. Sky snorted a bit as she tried to keep her laughs at bay, which became significantly harder when she saw Nick's puzzled and disgusted reaction.

"Corn juice?" Harley asked when she finally got her throat clear.

"If I had a dollar for every time I got that reaction." Sky laughed.

"Okay, yeah, but…corn juice?" Harley stared at Sky like she were crazy.

"It's a Propwash Junction thing." Sky shrugged. "When you live next to corn fields for the better chunk of your life and have to go to a Corn Fest, you develop some interesting tastes."

Harley nodded slowly. "Oh…..kay…."

Sky laughed. "Like I said, a Propwash Junction thing. You must have some interesting foods where you're from."

"Radiator Springs is in a desert-like environment." Harley shrugged. "The most interesting consumable you find there is Fillmore's organic fuel."

"Sounds a lot better than Vitamin-a-mulch." Sky said.

"Do you eat that?" Harley asked.

"No, but it still smells terrible." Sky said. "Hard to believe the stuff is what helps our crops grow."

Harley giggled. "Okay, favorite band?"

"I don't exactly have a specific band that's my favorite." Sky answered. "But I always go for country music. Sounds better on an acoustic guitar, anyway."

"I'm also a country fan. But if I had to pick a favorite, I always go with Rascal Flatts." Harley said. "Makes me wish I learned to play guitar. But the best I can do is a harmonica."

"I learned guitar when I was about eight." Sky said. "I spent time studying guitar lesson books for quite a few years until I got my first actual guitar when I was twelve."

"You're really good." Harley said.

Sky's cheeks burned. "Well, I guess. I just play what I feel."

"I like it." Harley nodded. "Very impressive."

"It's not that impressive." Sky shrugged. She managed to hide her yelp when Nick nudged her. She gave the ghost a discrete whap with her chopsticks. "Come on, next question."

Harley thought for a moment. "Do you remember your birth parents?"

Sky's smile fell, and she stared at her chow mein. Nick felt the air around them change to a more depressing atmosphere. At first, he wondered why Harley would ask such a thing. Then again, Harley mentioned she was raised by a car. It was just another point for them to bond on. She didn't know Sky felt pain over the matter.

Harley noticed Sky's reaction. "So you do."

"Unfortunately." Sky muttered.

Harley's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "What does that mean? I would think most orphans would like that they remember their parents."

Sky stirred her noodles around in their box. "I was….an orphan who was…..abandoned….."

"Oh." Harley said. "Well, I'm sure they had a good reason." She jumped when Sky's chopsticks suddenly snapped from the increased pressure of her holding them. "Or…..not….." She took a large bite of her third spring roll. After several tense seconds, she managed to swallow. "That was a stupid question, huh?"

Sky cleared her throat and grabbed a spare set of chopsticks. "No. It's fine. I get asked that a lot." Harley raised her eyebrow. "Once or twice." Sky corrected. Harley kept her gaze, and lowered her glasses to stare over the rim. "During one interview." Sky hunched over a little.

Harley nodded in satisfaction, readjusting her glasses. "Still hard to think about?"

Sky shrugged. "What about you? Remember your birth parents?"

Harley shook her head. "Not really. They died when I was four. Doc took me in soon after that. Most of what I remember about my parents is what other people have told me about them."

Sky stabbed her noodles a few times with her chopsticks. "It's a blessing in disguise, if you think about it. Hard to miss someone if you don't remember them."

"That's a comforting thought." Harley said, only half-seriously.

"Spending a lot of time in an orphanage gives you quite a few interesting life tips." Sky said. "Six years for me."

"I guess I'm lucky, then." Harley shrugged. "My parents were still living in Radiator Springs, and the town was so small it was easy for Doc to adopt me on the spot." She bit her lower lip. "You know, why don't we change the subject? I believe it was your question."

Sky was thankful for the change. "Okay. What's the craziest thing you've ever done?"

"What kind of question is that?" Harley laughed.

"Just wait until you hear my answer." Sky scoffed with a grin.

Nick watched the girls laugh and exchange stories. He was glad the subject deviated away from Sky's birth parents. At the same time, he liked that Sky found another friendly orphan who could identify with her. Harley didn't have the same situation as Sky, but she was a lot more understanding on the subject than other people would.

 _Give her a chance,_ Cuervo. Nick thought. _She can't be that bad. And maybe now you can learn to let go._

* * *

Later that week, Harley hunted down Sky looking like she was on a sugar rush. "Hey, you wanna go somewhere fun?"

"Sure!" Sky agreed.

"Let's go!" Harley urged, practically dragging Sky behind her as they hurried off. Sky had to run to make sure she could keep up with Harley's skating. They came to one of the older buildings on the campus. A sign above the door read "John Lassetyre Theatre." Harley, Sky, and Nick slipped inside, and they found the hallway walls covered in posters for past productions and newspaper clippings about said productions.

"Cool." Sky breathed. "It's amazing in here."

"I found this place yesterday." Harley said. "They do a show every year that performs before finals."

"When do they have auditions?" Sky asked.

"Soon." Harley said. "From what I've heard, it's quite the intensive rehearsal process."

"Sounds like it." Sky mused. Harley skated off to check out a display case of costumes.

"Those kinds of productions are hardcore." Nick told Sky. "Only for the best actors who can handle memorizing lines and blocking in a short amount of time. Then you have to be able to perform the show well."

"Did you ever do that kind of stuff?" Sky asked.

"Oh yeah, a couple times." Nick said. "Really fun."

"Hey Sky?" Harley called. "Who are you talking to?"

"Nobody." Sky shrugged. "Just myself."

"You would not believe how often I do that when I'm thinking really hard about something." Harley laughed.

"Nothing abnormal about that." Sky assured.

"The skates are abnormal enough." Nick whispered.

Sky would've elbowed him again with Harley wasn't watching. The two of them continued on with Nick floating right behind them. "I have been wondering. Why do you wear those skates? Height issue?"

"No." Harley smirked. "It's something I started doing as a kid because I wanted to keep up with my vehicular family. It just stuck with me."

"Cool." Sky shrugged. "Did you—" She paused, tilting her head to one side and listening closely. "What's that?"

Harley and Nick listened too. They could heard piano music drifting through the walls of the theater. Curious, the three of them followed the music to the main stage area. They snuck into the room and ducked down behind some storage boxes. Peering out, they noticed someone sitting at a piano on the stage. The woman was twenty, with dark skin, long mocha-colored brunette hair, and bronze-like hazel eyes. She wore a long, flowing red skirt, a black and red top, and black flip-flops. She sat in a wheelchair, pulled up a comfortable distance from the piano so she could play it. She sang softly, and Harley, Sky, and Nick had to listen closely to hear the words.

"She's good." Sky breathed.

"Yeah." Harley agreed. They still stayed low, listening to the woman play.

The woman halted abruptly when a sound spooked her: cardboard boxes and their contents falling over. Sky and Harley jumped and whipped around to see a stack of boxes scattered about the ground. Only Sky saw the culprit: Nick, who looked quite sheepish. Sky gave him a "what the heck?" look.

'Sorry.' Nick mouthed.

Harley and Sky looked to see the woman beginning to wheel out as fast as she could. "Wait a minute!" Harley called.

"We're sorry!" Sky called. "Come back!" But the wheelchair woman disappeared before Sky or Harley could catch up. Harley groaned, and Sky gave Nick a look that clearly said "You are so going to hear about this later." Nick grinned sheepishly.

"Never seen her around here before." Harley said. "She must be one of the new students."

"We'll run into her again, I guess." Sky shrugged. "Come on. Let's go get lunch."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the delayed update but I hope you guys are still enjoying this story!**


	5. Suspicions

**Chapter Five – Suspicions**

Being a ghost, Nick didn't need to sleep. But sometimes he took naps when he was low on energy or just bored. This was one of those cases: Sky finally turned in for the night, leaving Nick with nothing to do until she woke up. But over the years, he had developed almost a sixth sense. He could feel a change in the atmosphere and the energy of his friends when something was wrong. These changes often came when Blade had nightmares. Now, he could feel that same change in energy, and he forced himself to wake up to see what was wrong. Nick looked over to Sky, and his eyes widened a bit to see her squirming in her bed with her eyes scrunched up as though she were in pain.

" _Cuervo?"_ Nick nudged Sky. " _Cuervo!_ Sky, wake up! Hey, it's okay!" He gave her a harder nudge. "Sky, get up! I'm right here now wake up!"

Sky gasped, and she bolted upright. Her panting sounded borderline hyperventilating, and it took a minute for Nick's soothing tone and words to calm her down. Sky swallowed, staring at her comforter. "Sorry about that."

"It's not a problem, _Cuervo._ " Nick assured. "You were in trouble, and I had to help."

"No, this isn't your problem." Sky said. "I already saddled my dad and Sparky with my nightmares and somehow roped Blade into them too. I don't need to bother you too."

"Hey, whoa." Nick said, staring at Sky in concern. "First, I said this wasn't a problem. You aren't saddling me with anything. I'm your friend and I'm here to help you. I'm sure your dad, Sparky, and Blade feel the same way. Just tell me what's going on."

Sky took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Just a nightmare."

"Tell me about it." Nick encouraged.

Sky stared at Nick, and her eyes held nothing but pain. "I couldn't reach them."

Nick nodded. "Keep going."

Sky wrung her comforter nervously. "I was with Blade. We were just talking. I don't even know what about. But then…I started going towards him, and nothing I did could help me get closer to him. I tried so hard, but I couldn't reach him. Then Skipper and Sparky were there, but I couldn't reach them either. Everyone I know and love was there, but nothing I did could get them close to me. They were drifting farther and farther away and there was nothing I could do." Sky was definitely trembling now. "Then my birth parents were there…I reached them…..and then they turned and left me…."

Nick heard more than enough. He shushed Sky gently and nuzzled her. Sky leaned into his touch, sighing raggedly and blinking furiously to keep her tears at bay. "It's okay, _Cuervo, mi amiga_. It's okay." He waited for Sky to calm down a few notches. "Now, tell me this: do you _really_ think any of the people who love you would actually leave and never come back?"

"No." Sky whispered.

"There ya go." Nick nodded. "Look, it's just a bad dream. A fear that's buried in your subconscious. That's all."

"Fear is more than just a bad nightmare, Nick." Sky muttered.

"I've been hanging around Blade for around three decades, worried he would get so depressed that he'd throw himself into a fire." Nick said. "Before you came along, I had the deepest fear that he would give in to his depression and join me in the afterlife. Ironically enough, it killed me to think about it."

Sky looked to him and smiled softly. "Thanks, Nick. Blade made a good call in asking you to come with me."

Nick smiled back. "Hey, that Harley girl is good at psychology. Maybe you can discuss your dreams with her. They seem to be linked to your powers, in a way."

Sky shrugged. "I guess."

"Then go talk to her." Nick suggested. "Right now, before you forget."

"I'm not going to wake up Harley at two in the morning to go all Freudian with her about my dreams." Sky protested.

"Who said anything about waking her up?" Nick said. "She's wandering around the dorm as we speak."

Sky blinked, staring at Nick in confusion. "What?" She stood up from the bed and speed-walked to the door. She quietly opened it and poked her head out, looking up and down the dark hallway.

"I didn't settle down to sleep until around midnight." Nick explained. "I heard her door open and checked it out. She kinda looked like she didn't want to be followed."

Sky raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She looked up and down the hallway again. Then she darted back inside, grabbed her room key, and slipped out the door. Nick followed close behind. They snuck down the hall, looking around for any sign of Harley. The only luminescence in the hallways came from the moonlight through the windows. Sky pressed herself against corners before looking around them. She didn't exactly know why she decided to sneak, but a tiny red flag raised in her head when Nick said Harley looked like she didn't want to be followed.

"Hey, over here." Nick whispered. He gestured down another hallway, and Sky followed his gaze to see Harley crouched down behind a decorative desk. Sky and Nick exchanged a look and the former started towards her.

"Hey Harley." Sky piped up.

Harley perked up and stood quickly. "Hey Sky. Look, I found a penny." She held up said coin before tucking it away in her bathrobe pocket. "What are you doing here?"

"Just on a stroll." Sky shrugged. "Having trouble sleeping. What about you?"

"Oh, I spilled something in my room and was looking for the janitor's closet when I got turned around." Harley said. "Only now I realize I have become quite lost."

"Well, I think I remember where to go." Sky shrugged. "Unless you're heck-bent on getting to that janitor's closet."

"Nah." Harley shrugged. "I'll use one of my towels." She and Sky began walking off, but Harley looked back once when Sky wasn't looking. Harley noticed a mirror up close to the ceiling, right in the perfect position to work effectively with the camera she set up under the desk. Harley continued walking, satisfied with the job she accomplished.

"Well, goodnight." Sky said as the girls reached their rooms.

"Goodnight." Harley said. "Sleep well." She disappeared into her room.

Sky stared at Harley's door for a moment before she slipped into her own room. Nick noticed Sky's thoughtful look. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"I dunno." Sky shrugged. "It might be nothing, but I'm getting some slight suspicions about her."

"Maybe." Nick mused. "But sneaking around a dorm room ain't exactly criminal."

Sky shrugged again. "Yeah. Let's just get to bed."

* * *

Being in such hardcore, intensive classes was a little off-putting at first, but Sky soon got into the swing of things. She and Harley often spent dinner studying for Connections 101. Unfortunately, they also had to work together to avoid and deflect Samantha's attacks. It seemed Sky's childhood bully hadn't lost her touch over the years. It took all of Sky's willpower (and sometimes Harley and Nick physically restraining her) to keep her from punching Samantha right in her nose. After a particularly difficult day, Nick suggested that Sky make a call to her family to check in and vent. Sky didn't want to unload her issues on her family, but she knew calling to check in would make Skipper's day.

"Soarin' Sky Riley to Skipper and Sparky!" Sky called into the radio she kept in her room.

" _Hey there, sweetheart!"_ Skipper responded. _"How's school?"_

"Cool." Sky shrugged. "Kinda makes me think about what I would've done if I had gone to college."

" _Sky, technically you're at college now."_ Sparky pointed out. _"And on a full scholarship, too!"_

"I guess." Sky giggled. "I will admit that the academy is awesome. They have a pool, an archery range, and even a climbing wall in the gym. I've been on a couple hikes in the forest nearby, and I'm hoping to squeeze in a few more before the weather gets too cold."

" _You packed enough warm clothes?"_ Skipper asked.

"Stay calm, Dad." Sky assured. "I have plenty of clothing for all types of weather."

" _You know I worry because I care."_ Skipper chuckled.

"I know." Sky laughed. "But you don't need to worry about me. The campus is one of the safest in the country. Plus, we're practically in the middle of nowhere."

" _A lot of the battles the Jolly Wrenches fought were technically in the 'middle of nowhere.'"_ Skipper pointed out. _"They were named after the battles."_

"Dad, there are no battles happening anywhere near here." Sky laughed.

" _Like I said, I worry because I care."_ Skipper said.

" _Like the first time she went camping with Dusty?"_ Sparky asked.

"How about the first time I went _flying_ with Dusty?" Sky piped up.

" _Are you_ trying _to make me more anxious?"_ Skipper complained. Everyone laughed.

"I promise everything is fine, Dad." Sky said. "I just wanted to call and check in."

" _Well I appreciate it."_ Skipper said.

" _You having fun?"_ Sparky asked.

"Yeah!" Sky nodded. "You guys should come out sometime. The forest is beautiful and I made a new friend."

" _That's our girl."_ Skipper said approvingly. _"But you need to focus on your studies."_

"Okay, Dad." Sky nodded. She jumped when she heard the sound of screeching tires.

" _Skipper! Sparky! Dusty got his prop stuck in the crop fence again!"_ Chug's voice called in the background.

" _Really?"_ Sparky groaned.

"What do you mean 'again'?" Sky asked. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

" _Trust me, you don't want to know."_ Skipper said. _"We gotta go. Talk to ya later!"_

"Bye! Give Dusty my best and tell him to stop getting his prop stuck in fences." Sky said. She giggled at the laughter that responded. She shut off the radio and leaned back in her chair.

"I'm both curious and concerned about Crophopper getting stuck in a fence." Nick chuckled.

"Knowing Dusty, it probably involved some crazy flying stunt." Sky shrugged. "Sometimes, I feel like he's absolutely nuts."

"This coming from the girl who's about to do archery tomorrow?" Nick raised an eye frame.

"Archery is so not as dangerous as flying." Sky said.

 _I would disagree._ Nick chuckled.

* * *

"So how do we do this again?" Sky asked as Harley led her out towards the archery range behind the gym.

"It's simple." Harley assured. "Well, sort of. For now, just hold the bow steady, pull back the string, aim, and let go."

"You've done this before?" Sky asked.

"I dabble." Harley shrugged.

"That makes me feel better." Sky muttered. She hoped Harley actually knew what she was doing, otherwise one of them would be leaving the range with an arrow in their foot.

Harley paused, causing Sky to do the same. "Hey, isn't that the same woman we saw in the theater?" Sky followed Harley's gaze to see it truly was the same woman from the theater who played the piano. She had parked her wheelchair next to a stool, and the woman sat on the stool so she could shoot. She pulled back the bowstring with ease, held herself as still as a statue, and released with a satisfactory _twang_ of the bowstring. All the arrows she had shot were in the yellow or red area of the target, and a small cluster of them sat almost dead center.

"Wow. She's good." Sky breathed.

"I guess it's nice that archery doesn't require leg work." Harley said. "Should we go over there?"

"I would love to get to know another music lover." Sky nodded. "And I want to know how she got so good at archery." She felt a nudge from Nick, and she followed the ghost's gaze to a sight that instantly ruined her day. "Oh you've got to be kidding me."

"What?" Harley looked and also groaned when Samantha could be seen coming up the line of archers. She looked like a lioness in high heels, scouting for a potential kill. Soon, she found it and went straight towards the wheelchair woman.

"Why are you here?" Samantha demanded. The woman ignored Samantha, continuing to shoot. "Hey, I know you're a cripple, but I didn't know you were deaf." Samantha sassed.

"Oh I'm going to kill her!" Sky hissed.

Harley grabbed Sky's arm and pulled her back. "Sky, it is not worth it."

"Believe me, it will be worth it." Sky assured.

"It really won't." Nick whispered to her.

"Karma is a cruel yet just mistress." Harley said. "She'll get what's coming to her in due time." She, Sky, and Nick stared when they saw Samantha suddenly shove the wheelchair woman off her stool. Samantha laughed obnoxiously as she walked off. Harley glared hard. "On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with speeding karma along and putting vinegar in her lobster lo mein."

"I'm a Jolly Wrench and veteran prankster." Sky said. "I'd be happy to help." She gestured to the woman. "Come on." She, Harley, and Nick made their way to the woman, who had just pulled herself back into her wheelchair via an amazing feat of arm and torso strength. "Hey there."

The woman looked up. "Hello."

Sky and Harley smiled gently. "She do that to you a lot?" Sky asked.

"Yes." The woman shrugged. "Then again, it seems like she does that to anybody and everybody."

"Yeah." Harley shrugged. "Don't let her get to you. She's just…well, to put it bluntly, she's a jerk."

"No kidding." The woman nodded. She pulled her stool upright and then pulled herself back up onto it. She resumed her shooting like nothing happened.

"Mind if we join you?" Sky asked. The woman gestured to the spots beside her in an inviting way. Harley and Sky stood on either side of the woman, beginning their shooting. Harley did all right, but Sky missed the target at least three times.

"So what's your name?" Harley finally asked after a couple rounds.

"Katherine." The woman said. "Katherine Achebe."

"Cool name." Harley said.

"That's what you get when your mother is English and your father a South African." Katherine shrugged. "Then again, when I was in high school, people used to say my parents were the personification of colonization."

"Wow." Sky mused. "That's so stupid it hurts."

"Tell me about it." Katherine agreed. "And, if I remember racing celebrities correctly, you two are Sky Riley and Harley Hudson, yes?"

"And here I thought we'd meet someone who didn't know us." Sky laughed. Katherine and Harley laughed too.

"So, you were the one playing the piano in the theater the other day, right?" Harley asked.

"Is that to imply that you two are the ones who spied on me?" Katherine asked.

"We were roaming the theater and we heard you play." Harley shrugged. "You're really good. Sky plays music too."

"Really?" Katherine mused. "Instrument? Voice?"

"Guitar and voice." Sky said. "But not in front of other people."

"That ought to change." Nick muttered.

"Don't let her fool you." Harley said. "She's really good."

"Aw….." Sky cooed. "Shut up." Katherine and Harley laughed again.

"I haven't seen you around the campus, Katherine." Harley noted.

"You a new student?" Sky asked. "I'm new this term."

"I did a term here back in March." Katherine explained. "But then I spent the summer over in South Africa with my parents. Decided to come back here to do another term. I mostly keep to myself."

"You do anything for lunch?" Sky asked. "You could join us."

"Yeah." Harley agreed. "Chinese food has become a favorite between the two of us."

"I love Chinese food." Katherine agreed. "Let's do it."

"Great." Sky nodded. She smiled broadly as she fired another arrow, and her smile grew when she hit a bullseye. _Another new friend. This could be better than I thought._

* * *

Nick settled onto Sky's bed, hoping for a nap while Sky did some studying. Sky sat at her desk, her Healing Techniques textbook open and her notes displayed on her laptop.

"You know I'm not going to let you sleep there." Sky piped up, not looking up from her book.

"Then I'll stay here until you go to bed." Nick said.

"You _could_ help me with my studying." Sky suggested.

"Nope." Nick yawned. Sky laughed and shook her head, going back to her book and notes. Nick grinned, and he settled down to rest. But he couldn't stop thinking about the one thing that had bugged him all afternoon. When Harley and Sky talked to Katherine, he got the strangest feeling that Katherine constantly stared at him. She even wove in a seemingly random question about Sky and Harley's belief in ghosts, and she stared _directly at Nick_ during this. If Sky noticed, she didn't say anything to him. Nick pondered this for a while, but he shook it off. After all, he only allowed Blade and Sky to see him, so it's impossible for Katherine to see him unless he allows it. It took several years of practice to master this.

"I'll be right back." Sky announced.

Nick opened his eyes and noticed Sky going towards the door. "Where you off to in your pajamas?"

"I have to run to the library." Sky said. "There's a small one in here in the dorm, and they might have just what I need to answer some extra questions I have about healing techniques."

"Isn't the library closed by now?" Nick noted.

"They never lock the door." Sky shrugged. "I'm just slipping in for a few minutes."

Nick stretched his landing skids before floating after her. "Wait up. I'll come with you."

"You don't have to do that." Sky assured, grabbing her key and hanging the lanyard around her neck. "I'm just popping over to the library."

"And Blade said I have to look out for you." Nick said, following Sky down the hallway. "You're my friend, and I'm going to be by your side no matter where you go."

"In some contexts, that could be seen as stalker-ish." Sky pointed out.

"Well, you know I'm always watching you." Nick said in his best spooky tone, opening his eyes wide and putting his nose close to Sky's head.

Sky rolled her eyes and gave him a playful shove. She entered the library with Nick right behind her. "All right. We need books on healing techniques." She scanned the signs on the ends of the bookshelves, using her phone's screen light as a flashlight and searching for the right section. Nick pointed out the right shelf, and he joined Sky in searching for good books.

"So what kinds of things are you looking for?" Nick asked.

"I want to see if there's a way to minimize the injuries a psyche human can get when doing a healing." Sky said. "After getting such a major burn from healing Blade, I would love to see if there's a way I can, you know, _not_ repeat that."

"Oh yeah?" Nick asked.

"I'm a firefighter, Nick." Sky shrugged. "Injuries are part of the job. The same could be said about racing."

"I guess." Nick agreed.

Sky scanned the books for a moment before she pulled down one that looked interesting. She perused through the pages for a moment. "Check this out. 'Healing abilities are within every psyche human, but some psyche humans have heightened abilities. Healing between Soul Connect Partners is also known to cause less injury to the psyche human.' Sounds like me and Blade. Sort of."

"Maybe, but is there anything in that book about how to heal life-threatening injuries?" Nick asked, smirking.

"He's my Soul Connect Partner, Nick. I'd be willing to lay down my own life for him." Sky shrugged.

"As long as you're not suicidal." Nick said.

"There's a difference between being suicidal and being a firefighter." Sky said.

"Yeah." Nick agreed. "You and Blade are real heroes."

Sky looked up from her reading and smiled at Nick. "Thanks. Kinda weird to think about that. As a kid, when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up, I never said 'a hero.' Though, ironically enough, I did have to write a report about an everyday hero."

Nick chuckled, giving Sky an affectionate nuzzle. _Gosh, you're an amazing young woman. Blade sure is lucky to know you. Honestly, so am I._

Nick and Sky perked up when they heard the door clicking open. They listened to the person talking as they came in.

"I'm going into the library now. No, there's nobody in here. It's almost midnight on a Friday night. Most of the students are partying in the common hall."

"Is that Harley?" Sky whispered almost inaudibly, tucking her phone in her pocket.

"I think so." Nick replied in a similar quietness. They peered through the books on the shelves to see Harley walking past and focusing fully on her phone call. Harley continued through the rows of tomes, scanning the spaces between the shelves to make sure she was alone. Sky ducked down out of sight, staying quiet and waiting for Harley to pass. Harley kept walking until she reached a desk near the window. She pulled the drapes closed until only a crack of moonlight could get through. Sky, curious and mildly suspicious, crouched down behind a bookshelf and peered through the books to see what would happen. Nick joined her, concern growing inside him over why Harley would be sneaking around like this.

Harley took one more look around, but she was confident there wouldn't be anyone in here. She returned to her phone call. "All right, so what have you found out?" A pause. "You're kidding. Oh good Ford, that's bad. How many does that make? Twenty? He's killed twenty people with this thing?" Harley groaned, running her fingers through her hair. "I know, I know. I can't stress out about this. But I'm flashing back to the World Grand Prix scandal. Only, for some reason, this seems more intense." She listened to the person on the other line. "On my end? Actually, I think I found something. I need you to do some research on this Skylar Riley girl."

Sky's eyes widened. _Research? On me?_

"I think she's important." Harley continued. "No, it's not because I think she's an awesome new friend. I cannot deny this, but that's beyond the point." A pause. "Listen to me. There's something about her that's different. Her powers are beyond anything that I've ever seen in my life. She's acing her classes with ease. She can perform new techniques without even thinking about it. She has to be one of the most powerful psyche humans I've ever met." She listened to her caller's response. "It's important because of the other new detail I've found: the dean is watching her. Like borderline stalking her."

Nick and Sky exchanged a look. This entire conversation raised both suspicion and lots of questions. But they stayed where they were so to continue listening.

"I know, Waller has shown interest in students before." Harley said. "But not this closely. He's never paid this much attention to a student. He's basically been watching her every move ever since she came to the academy. Even I haven't been watching her that closely, although I'm starting to think I need to. There has to be a reason for this. That's why I need you to do some research on her so I can keep an eye on her while we're studying." A pause. "We're neighbors. It won't be that hard to—"

The sound of books hitting the ground made all of them jump, which only caused more books to hit the ground. Sky saw Nick to be the culprit once again; or, rather, his tail. "Why do you have to be such a klutz?" Sky hissed.

"Why does everything have to be in my way?" Nick hissed back.

"Hold on." Harley's voice made them freeze. "I think there's someone in here. Yes, of course I checked! I didn't see anyone!" She looked around worriedly. "Wait a minute." Harley moved the phone to her other hand, and she reached into the holster at her ribcage, hidden under her bathrobe. She pulled out her pistol, and the sight almost made Sky gasp. Even worse, she could see Harley coming towards her. She half-ran, half-tiptoed away with Nick close behind her. They hid behind another wall of shelves just as Harley came around. But Harley continued down the line of books, holding her gun ready just in case. Nick and Sky were tense, and Sky wondered if this is what a panic attack felt like. Her heart pounded and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

'What do we do?' Sky mouthed.

Nick looked around for a moment.

Harley held her gun steady, and she came around the corner ready to shoot. But she found nobody there. Harley scanned the area, her eyes narrowed. She put the phone back to her ear. "You there? Yeah, I'm all right. But this room isn't secure. I'm moving now." She put her gun back into its holster and hurried out the door.

Nick waited at his spot in front of a desk against the wall, and he watched the door for a minute. "Okay. Coast is clear. Let's go." He moved away from the desk, and Sky crawled out from under it. She panted, her eyes still wild. "Easy, easy now, _Cuervo._ Just calm down."

Sky finally managed to speak. "She has a gun. She has a _freaking_ gun."

"That's apparent." Nick said, very much freaked out just like Sky.

Sky swallowed. "You played a cop, Nick. What do you do when you find out your friend has a gun?"

"Blade and I both had guns." Nick protested.

"They were props." Sky said.

"Same difference." Nick countered. "Look, just be calm."

"I can't be calm!" Sky snapped. "I'm terrified!"

"You're a firefighter." Nick said. "You don't get scared."

"I never have to worry about the fire _shooting at me._ " Sky growled.

"Okay, okay!" Nick couldn't deny that. "But doesn't your dad have working guns?"

"I don't worry about my father shooting me!" Sky almost yelled.

Nick cringed. "Sorry."

Sky buried her face in her hands. "Nick, what do I do? This is insane. What if the school isn't safe?"

"Then I'll let you know if you should leave." Nick said determinedly. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Sky took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay…okay…" She took another breath. "All right. I won't dwell on this. Come on. Let's get back to the room."

* * *

Hunger seemed to be on strike for Sky the next day, even when she had lunch with Harley and Katherine. She stirred her soup aimlessly, trying to focus on anything except the events of last night. She already felt sleep-deprived because she had a hard time falling asleep.

"Do you do competitive archery?" Harley asked.

"All the time." Katherine nodded. "I'm trying to keep up my practice here so I can be prepared for competitions in the winter. I gotta say, you get a lot of attention for doing archery when you're wheelchair-bound."

"I'll say." Harley agreed.

Sky paused. "Say, Katherine. I've noticed your archery gear is different from the gym's stuff. Is it yours?"

"Yes. It's my personal equipment." Katherine nodded. "I've been using it for a couple years now. I have written permission from the dean to bring my archery gear with me. The agreement is that I keep the gear in a locker in the gym and understand that it's a felony if I shoot anyone."

"I would hope you understand that already." Harley said.

"Somebody must've tried something, otherwise they wouldn't make that clear." Katherine shrugged. "Who's dumb enough to bring a weapon to a school, right?"

"I know." Harley nodded.

Sky stared at Harley for a moment, and then spooned some of her soup into her mouth. She gagged and coughed, instantly spitting it out again. Katherine and Harley stared in surprise.

"What's the matter?" Harley asked.

Sky wiped soup from her chin. "It's cold."

* * *

Nick had been tense all day, and he stayed close by Sky's side. He didn't even notice Katherine staring at him during lunch. He wouldn't admit it to Sky, but seeing Harley with a gun definitely spooked him. The fact that she also seemed to be stalking Sky made Nick antsy. That night, he engaged in a pleasant conversation with Sky to cover up his anxiousness, and then began his vigilant guard over her when she went to bed. He stood firm and alert, ready in case anything happened. For a moment, he felt like he was back in his early years as a ghost, watching over Blade and trying to help him in the littlest ways. But this was far more dangerous. He wouldn't let anything happen to Sky. He had to do everything he could to protect her.

Something changed in the atmosphere. Nick paused, focusing on the feeling. _That's a different feel than what I usually get. There's something here._ Nick checked Sky one more time before moving to the door. He made himself intangible and floated right through the wall. But he ducked down again when he saw a figure moving down the hallway. Nick floated up to the ceiling and looked out again. Now he could definitely see what looked like a blood red Jaguar, specifically a 1965 Runwell-Type SR. His eyes were the same shade of blue as an iris flower. He also had a faint blue aura around him, just like Nick, to indicate this car was a ghost. Nick watched the Jaguar as he snuck down the hall, looking around for anyone watching. He didn't think to look up, so Nick was safe in his hiding space. The Jaguar did one more check before he made his way towards Sky's dorm door.

That's where Nick drew the line.

The Jaguar didn't know what to expect with this trip, but he certainly did not expect a ghostly helicopter to body slam him. Since they were both still intangible enough, the ghosts went right through the wall and outside. They broke apart, facing each other and sizing the other one up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Nick snarled.

"I did not realize there was another spectre here." The Jaguar mused, the fierce glare not leaving his eyes.

"Ooh, a Brit." Nick scoffed. "Knew a Brit once. Hated him."

"I don't mean you any harm." The Jaguar said, trying to remain calm.

"Then why are you going near Skylar?" Nick demanded. "What do you want with her?"

"She is of interest to me." The Jaguar said. "The rest is classified."

Nick tensed up. "All right. You got all of ten seconds to get outta here or I'm gonna beat your bumper all the way to California."

"Nice accent." The Jaguar mused. "I suppose you're from a Latino community in Los Angeles?"

Nick glared hard. "South. Mexico."

The Jaguar huffed. "I don't want any trouble."

"You just got it." Nick growled. "You gonna leave Sky alone or am I gonna beat your bumper?"

The Jaguar revved his engine. "That girl is vital to a case. I won't let you stand in my way."

Nick's eyes blazed with fury, and he charged forward. The Jaguar met him halfway, and two of them crashing into each other. Oddly enough, since they were ghosts, their clashing hides didn't make a sound. But the blows left a little pain for both of them. Even so, they separated and clashed again. Nick swung his tail around and clipped the Jaguar's fender, sending him into a spin. The Jaguar hit his brakes, and then swung around and slammed into Nick's side. Nick flew up, causing the Jaguar to shoot forward and hit a tree. The Jaguar spun around, only for Nick's rotors to slash across his windshield. He shouted in pain, reversing a few feet and blinking a few times to get his eyes clear. But his injuries already healed themselves, and he glared at the helicopter. Nick jerked forward a few feet, smirking in satisfaction when he saw the Jaguar flinch.

"Get out of here." Nick ordered. "Don't ever go near Sky again. Because if you do, I'll send you to the lowest pits of hell. Now beat it!"

The Jaguar held his glare for another moment, and then he faded away and disappeared. Nick relaxed, allowing his injuries to heal. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, but some of the tension lingered even as he made his way back to Sky's room. Upon arriving, Nick found he still couldn't relax. He glanced to Sky, and he sighed.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Sky." Nick whispered. "I promised Blade."


	6. Research

**Chapter Six – Research**

After intensive classwork and making new friends, Sky couldn't believe that two weeks already passed. She greatly enjoyed her classes, and Katherine and Harley convinced her to try and get out more and meet more people around the campus. Sky also took time every day to talk to Nick, and she started making a habit of calling home every week to check in. Nick didn't mention his encounter with the Jaguar, nor had he seen the ghost for several days. But he relaxed more often and tried to help Sky with her schoolwork when he could. When Sky wasn't looking, Nick would often pull harmless pranks on Samantha as revenge for tormenting Sky, Harley, and Katherine. Sky scolded Nick at first, but soon she started to enjoy Samantha's shrill shrieks of irritation.

"So, do you think she has really bad luck or is this just karma at its greatest?" Harley asked as she and Sky walked to Connections 101.

"Maybe a little of both." Sky shrugged, casting a brief smirk to Nick. The ghost just grinned innocently. They entered the lecture hall and sat down, ready to begin. Sky turned to where Samantha usually sat, but instead found the bully down near the front with a hot pink female forklift. Samantha and the forklift talked in rather obnoxious tones, so shrill that Sky couldn't place the topic of discussion.

"Samantha has a friend?" Harley asked.

"So it would seem." Sky mused.

Professor Wheeler drove into the classroom, the rev of his engine quieting his students. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to start our lecture today with a fun fact: did you know that I am a Soul Connect Partner to a psyche human?" He grinned when several of his students perked up in interest, and he knew he had their attention. "I met my psyche human Partner back in my college days. Currently, my Partner is teaching psychology at the University of California. By having this connection, I was able to gain the ability to see Soul Connect Threads as you all can."

"But how is that possible?" one student asked.

"And how does this relate to what we're learning today?" another student piped up. "The syllabus said we were going to be studying the strengthening of connections."

"Well what do you know?" Professor Wheeler mused. "My students actually read the syllabus. To answer the second question, I have adjusted the schedule and bumped up the Soul Connect unit of the class. Samantha's Soul Connect Partner is in New Mexico for a while, and she brought up this unique opportunity to study a Soul Connect by actually seeing it." Some of the students couldn't hide their lack of enthusiasm when they realized Samantha was just being a kiss-up. Sky was one of those students. Professor Wheeler continued. "To answer the first question, my ability is possible because of the nature of Soul Connections. When a psyche human finds their Soul Connect Partner, it activates the specialized powers of the psyche human. The vehicle in the relationship also receives a special ability. In my case, it was the ability to see a Soul Connect Thread. Not exactly a superpower, but I think it's rather cool." The students laughed lightly at this. "Samantha, Amanda? Would you two please come up and show your Soul Connection?"

Samantha and Amanda (whom Sky began to believe was a vehicular copy of her psych-man Partner) journeyed right up to the front of the room. They stood tall and proud, but Samantha made sure to be one step closer to the students than Amanda. Samantha held out her hand, and Amanda put one of her tines onto her palm. Before everyone's eyes, including Nick's, the girls' Soul Connect Thread appeared. It was the same brown color as Amanda's eyes, and it floated in the air. But, as Sky noticed, the glowing Thread kept flickering.

"See?" Samantha smirked. "Our connection is rock-solid."

"I'm sure it is." Professor Wheeler said dismissively. "Now, the Soul Connection, as most of you should already know, is the strongest connection a psyche human can make. It is the connection that bonds the very souls of a vehicle and a human. The thread-like appearance is often theorized to be symbolic of stitching the souls together to show just how deep the connection is. This connection is weakened by things like sickness or even a lack of respect between Partners. Show of hands: who in here can Soul Connect?" Sky, Harley, and four other students raised their hands. "Very good. Oh, you have a question, Ms. Riley?"

"Yes, sir." Sky nodded. "Is it typical for the Thread to flicker like it does now?"

"What are you blabbering about now?" Samantha droned.

Sky sighed through her nose, but kept a lid on her anger. "Your Soul Connect Thread is flickering. It looks like a lightbulb about to go out. Either this is supposed to be normal or you two just don't have a strong connection."

"Why are you even talking?" Samantha scoffed.

"Yeah." Amanda agreed. "Why are you even talking?"

"Shut up, Amanda." Samantha snapped.

"Right." Amanda nodded.

"Ms. Waller, please." Professor Wheeler sighed. "Ms. Riley, do you notice a difference in your own Soul Connect Thread with your Partner?"

"It's a lot brighter." Sky shrugged. "More solid. It usually comes up just when my Partner and I are in physical contact, without willing the connection to come up."

"All Soul Connects are like that." Samantha said snidely. "Honestly, you are so stupid."

"Oh, I'm the stupid one?" Sky snapped. "At least I treat my Partner as my equal and not like trash."

"Really?" Samantha scoffed. "Who is your Partner?"

"A fire chief." Sky replied simply.

"Sounds like he's above you." Samantha pointed out. "Of course, that's to be expected when you're at the bottom of the food chain."

Sky stood up, but Harley grabbed her arm. "Sky, don't!"

"Ms. Waller, Ms. Riley, if you two are done…." Professor Wheeler finally managed to get a word in, and the girls stopped their argument. Sky eased herself back into her seat. Professor Wheeler cleared his throat. "How long have you had a Soul Connection, Ms. Riley?"

"A couple years." Sky answered. "I have been trying to do some work with my Partner to strengthen this bond and we've seen some significant results."

"Interesting." Professor Wheeler mused. "Do you think he could come in and show this connection?"

"I could ask." Sky shrugged. "I'll have to check in with him and see when fire season is over."

"Very well." Professor Wheeler nodded. "Ask him, and I will push back the Soul Connect unit until then."

"What about our connection?" Samantha demanded.

"Yes, thank you for that." Professor Wheeler said. "Can we all give Samantha and Amanda a round of applause?" The class obeyed, albeit scattered, and Samantha marched back to her seat with Amanda close behind her. Sky smirked triumphantly, and she turned her focus back to the lesson.

* * *

"So when I told the professor about the Soul Connection we have, he asked if you would be able to come in to talk about the connection." Sky said.

" _I don't know, Raven."_ Blade said over the radio. _"We don't know everything about this connection. Should we really be showing it off like that?"_

"Why not?" Nick shrugged. Sky scooted her swivel chair a little to the side so Nick could talk into the radio with her.

"I'm taking this class so we can learn more about our connection." Sky reasoned. "It won't hurt for you to come check it out with me."

" _I guess."_ Blade said. _"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do while you're in class."_

"Nick can keep you entertained." Sky shrugged.

"Come on, _hermano_." Nick said. "You were the one who wanted to explore the Soul Connection more. This is your chance to do that exact thing."

" _You know I don't do well in social situations."_ Blade pointed out.

"Then here's your moment to change that." Nick said. "You gotta live a little, Blade. It's something you haven't exactly done a lot of lately. Believe me, I know."

" _You know, I'm starting to wonder just how much of my life you've seen since you died."_ Blade said.

"Stick to wondering." Nick assured. "You don't need to know the details."

Sky giggled. "What do you say, Blade? Come up for just a week or two? I've been learning a lot, but it would be better if you were here to test out what I'm learning."

" _Yeah, I know."_ Blade sighed. _"I guess—"_

" _He can go!"_

Sky and Nick jumped at the sound of the new voice. "Is that Maru?" Sky asked.

" _How long have you been standing there?"_ Blade demanded.

" _Just to hear that last part about Raven wanting you to go to school with her."_ Maru said. _"He can go, Raven!"_

" _Maru, get out of my hanger!"_ Blade snapped.

" _Don't let him convince you otherwise!"_ Maru's voice grew distant. _"I'll have Windlifter airlift him to New Mexico if I have to!"_

" _Get out of my hanger!"_ Blade emphasized every word, and Sky and Nick heard Maru drive off in a hurry, laughing all the way. Sky and Nick struggled to keep their own laughter at bay. Blade sighed. _"So it looks like I'm going whether I like it or not. Something tells me Maru is serious about the airlift thing."_

"This won't impede on fire season, will it?" Sky asked.

" _I'm sticking around to make sure we're all clear to say fire season has ended."_ Blade said. _"How about I come in October? That's when we'll know for sure when fire season is fully over."_

"Great." Sky nodded. "Can't wait to have you here!"

" _Honestly, I'm looking forward to it."_ Blade said. _"Piston Peak, signing off."_

* * *

Katherine usually ate her lunch alone or skipped it to practice archery. But, since meeting Sky and Harley, she made a regular habit of joining them for lunch. They often sat outside to take advantage of the good weather. Nick still noticed how Katherine kept staring at him, but he was starting to think he was mistaken.

"Hey Sky!" a girl said as she came up to them. She looked familiar with her bright red hair and light blue eyes.

"Hey!" Sky thought for a moment. "Rachel, right?"

"Yeah!" Rachel nodded. "You guys wanna join me and my friends?" Sky looked to Harley and Katherine, who nodded in agreement, and they followed Rachel to a picnic table where four other students sat. Two of the boys, both with brunette hair and dark blue eyes, were clearly twins, and one of them tapped a pair of drumsticks against the table. The third boy had red hair and light blue eyes like Rachel, and the girl at the table had tan skin with dark hair and hazel eyes.

"Hey there." The dark-haired girl greeted. "I think you two are in my Connections 101 class."

"Oh yeah?" Sky asked as she, Harley, Rachel, and Katherine took their spots around the table. "I think I've seen you, but never knew your name."

"Serena." The girl introduced.

"I'm Benny." The redheaded boy said. "Rachel here is my baby sister."

"By two years. Don't get cocky." Rachel reminded him.

"I'm Elliott." One of the twin boys introduced. "This is my brother, Emmett."

"We're completely identical." Emmett said. "Well, except for our psych-man birthmarks."

"Really?" Harley asked.

Emmett lifted his arm to show a black dragon encircling his forearm. "See?"

"Wow." Sky breathed. "Cool."

Katherine looked to Elliott. "Your birthmark looks the same."

"Oh, this is a tattoo." Elliott corrected. He lifted his other arm. "This is my birthmark."

"And this is my tattoo." Emmett said, and the twins lifted their arms to show off. The others laughed at the sight: both of the twins had identical black dragons on their forearms.

"See, one of the dragons is a tattoo." Elliott explained. "The other is our birthmark."

"How do you know which is which?" Sky asked.

"The dragon on my right arm has an eye. That shows it's the birthmark." Elliott said.

"I'm the opposite." Emmett said. "My birthmark dragon is on my left arm."

"Here's mine." Serena said, lifting her skirt to show the black musical note and Yin-Yang birthmark above her knee.

"And mine." Benny pulled his shirt down, revealing his birthmark to be a heart with a cross on his shoulder. Rachel also showed off her birthmark: the outline of an eagle on her stomach. Katherine's birthmark was on the back of her neck: a skull surrounded by a flame-like shape to resemble a glow. Harley and Sky joined in to show their psych-man birthmarks.

"You know you're a psyche human when you show off your birthmarks." Harley mused. Everyone laughed.

"So why do you have tattoos that look like your birthmarks?" Katherine asked the twins.

"When we were in high school, we got teased a lot for being psyche humans." Emmett said. "We didn't really have a lot of people to back us up, so our parents let us get these tattoos to help hide that we have these abilities."

"Plus, it's fun to confuse people on who's who." Elliott snickered.

"Why should you have to hide your abilities?" Sky asked. "They're a part of who you are."

"Not everyone can accept that." Elliott shrugged. "We just gotta live with it."

 _Not exactly fair._ Sky thought. But she didn't say anything else.

"How do you guys know each other?" Harley asked.

"We're in a band." Rachel explained. "A small one, mostly doing stuff around Virginia where we're from. I'm the violinist and pianist, Emmett's our drummer, Elliott plays the electric guitar, Benny plays the bass, and Serena is our other guitarist."

"You know, Sky plays the guitar." Harley noted. "I just dabble in the harmonica, but maybe we could play together sometime."

"Uh, I don't think so." Sky said hurriedly. "I don't play in front of people."

"Oh really?" Rachel asked. "I bet you sound great."

Sky rubbed the back of her head. "Not really."

"Stop being so modest." Harley scoffed. "You're an amazing player and singer."

"We ought to hear you sometime." Emmett said. "We do a casual practice in the theater on Friday evenings, and we get pizza delivered for dinner. You should come."

"Yeah, all three of you." Elliott agreed. The rest of the table voiced their agreements.

"Sounds fun." Katherine said.

"Yeah." Harley nodded. "What do you say, Sky?"

Sky stared at the table. Nick gave her a gentle, encouraging nuzzle. "Well, I guess I can stop by." Sky shrugged. This seemed to satisfy the group, and they moved on to a new topic.

But Nick already had a plan forming in his mind, and the thought of it actually working made him grin deviously.

* * *

"True or false?" Katherine asked. "A psyche human has the ability to heal vehicles without causing injury to themselves."

"False." Sky said instantly. "Unless that power is gained through a Soul Connection like a certain someone we know."

"Guilty as charged." Harley said, not looking up from her book. The three of them gathered in the library to do some studying for a couple upcoming tests. A surprise rainstorm gave them the perfect excuse to stay inside for the day, and the little pellets of water tapped rhythmically on the windows like marching soldiers.

"You think with this rain, Samantha will hide in her room in fear of melting?" Sky asked.

"More likely, she's afraid her mascara will melt." Harley corrected, causing quiet laughter amongst the three of them.

"You see much of her?" Katherine asked.

"She's in our Connections 101 class." Harley admitted. "Real pain in the arse." Sky and Katherine gave her confused looks. "British slang."

"Must be interesting having a Soul Connect Partner who used to live on the other side of the world from you." Sky said.

"Yeah." Harley nodded. "Makes you wonder about things like fate."

"Makes you wonder how Samantha got her Partner." Katherine pointed out.

Sky heard Nick whisper something to her. "Hit the deck!" She, Harley, and Katherine ducked their heads into their books, hiding themselves just as Samantha passed. When Nick gave Sky the all-clear, the girls relaxed. "You know, I often wonder about my Soul Connection." Sky said. "A while back, I found out that my foster mother is good friends with my Partner."

"Wow. Small world." Harley mused.

"You ever think about why we have Soul Connections?" Katherine asked. "I mean, if we're able to connect our minds and bodies to vehicles, why do we need something like a Soul Connection that happens instantly?"

"Might have something to do with our origins." Harley suggested.

"What do you mean?" Sky asked.

"You know, where our ancestors came from." Harley rummaged through her bag and pulled out a book on Greek mythology. She flipped through the pages before stopping at a picture of a psyche human in Greek robes and a car with laurels around his hood. A Soul Connect Thread was illustrated between them. "I found this myth that describes psyche humans being created by a deity. In this story, psyche humans and Soul Connections were created to bring freedom to oppressed humans and vehicles in Greece."

"But this is all mythology." Katherine said. "Even if it has some bits of truth, can we really take it as fact?"

"That's what I thought too." Harley said. "But then I did a little more research, and I found that there really isn't a definite answer as to how psyche humans were created. One of the theories is evolution, but nobody really knows when the first semblance of psych-man appeared in prehistoric times. Honestly, the next logical answer seems to rest with a deity. Which one? No idea. Several different cultures have different tales of psych-man origins."

"Makes sense." Sky shrugged. "Think about it. We're not exactly normal in comparison to the bulk of humanity." The girls stared at the picture in Harley's book for a long moment, pondering their origins. To be a psyche human was something one was born into. The abilities they have can't be given to someone else, unless some of their power transferred into their Soul Connect Partner.

"Let's keep focusing on the test." Katherine suggested. Sky and Harley agreed, and they resumed their studying. The question of their origins couldn't be answered so easily, and it would have to wait for another day.

* * *

Harley had to be extra careful as she looked around the library. Ever since her eavesdropper scare last week, she amped up her vigilance to make sure nobody knew her true purpose for coming to APS. To alleviate suspicion, she decided to look through the dorm library during the day. Her topic would seem perfectly normal to anyone who asked.

"Here we are." Harley breathed, pulling down a book. She checked the title: _A Brief History of the Academy for Psyche Students_. Nodding, Harley moved to one of the desks and began reading.

 _The land of APS was once the estate to William Hearse, the owner and head of a newspaper company in New Mexico. The estate was constructed in 1920, but sadly fell to ruin when Hearse's business fell apart during World War II. The property was abandoned after Hearse's death, and remained so due to multiple accounts of hauntings on the grounds and in the buildings._

"Boring." Harley sighed, flipping to another page.

 _George Waller, the dean of APS, has an interesting history. He was valedictorian of both his high school and college graduating classes, taking degrees in chemistry, biology, and psychology. Fate dealt him a good hand when he won the Michigan lottery. In the 1990s, he used this money to buy Hearse Estate and renovate it to what is now known as the Academy for Psyche Students, the most prestigious school for psyche humans in North America._

"Wonder if he wrote this himself." Harley muttered. But something suddenly clicked in her head. "1990s….." She looked around to make sure nobody was around, and she pulled out her laptop. She pulled up a webpage and began typing. After a bit of searching through online newspapers, she discovered an article that both answered and raised questions for her.

 _PSYCH-MAN DIES UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES_

 _May 23rd 1996_

 _Benjamin Benton, a psyche human residing in Denver, Colorado, was found dead on the side of Highway I25 on the morning of May 22._

 _Benton's autopsy report cites a mark where something was injected into his bloodstream, however no toxins or drugs were found in his system. Police are unsure if this was suicide or murder, and are working to discover more about the cause of death._

 _The autopsy was done by Marion Dexter, a psyche human doctor for the Denver Hospital. Dexter reported that she checked for a possible fail in Benton's psyche human powers._

 _"I have developed the medical side of my psych-man abilities to check the healthiness of other psych-man's powers," Dexter said. "But when I tried to check Benton's, I couldn't find them. It was like he never had powers."_

Harley opened a special program in her computer, and she connected to the Denver Police Station's databases. She typed in a few things. "Benjamin Benton…..1996….." One result came up, and Harley clicked on it. She scanned the page for a minute before she found what she wanted.

"Unsolved."


	7. New Ghost In Town

**A/N: So some of you might have been confused when Professor Wheeler said he could see Soul Connect Threads. Here's the thing about Soul Connect Threads: all psyche humans have the inherent ability to see the threads. A vehicle can only see the thread if they are a Soul Connect Partner, and they can only see the thread that is their own. Hope that makes sense.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven - New Ghost In Town**

"Nick, where are we going?" Sky asked for what felt like the thousandth time. "I'm hungry, and that doesn't make carrying my guitar any easier."

"I found a cool place for you to practice without strangers hearing you." Nick said. "Just follow me."

Sky giggled and shook her head, but kept beside the ghost as they walked through the campus. She couldn't understand why Nick was so excited, but she decided to just go along with it. Besides, she didn't mind singing in front of Nick anymore, and it would be nice to do it without the risk of being heard by someone else. Nick led Sky into the back door of a building Sky didn't quite recognize, but she swore she had seen the building before. Sky followed Nick through a few hallways until they reached a backstage area, and she made her way through the side curtains.

"Hey Sky!" Harley's voice called from the stage. "You made it!"

Sky froze when she saw Harley, Katherine, and Rachel and her band sitting center stage. They had their instruments out and sat around a couple pizza boxes to enjoy dinner. Then Sky remembered that it was Friday. In an instant, Sky caught on to what Nick did.

"I _did_ say you wouldn't be with strangers." Nick whispered in Sky's ear as she joined everyone else.

 _I'm still gonna pound you._ Sky thought.

"So how does this work?" Katherine asked after they finished eating.

"Well, these are all the songs we've covered before." Rachel said, handing Katherine a piece of paper with the list. "If you guys know one, we'll just play it and see where we want to work."

"You'll have to see if you can play any of these on the guitar, Sky." Serena suggested.

"I don't think so." Sky said.

"But you brought your guitar." Benny protested.

"Music isn't just enjoyment for me." Sky shrugged. "It's how I express what I'm feeling."

"Well, what do you feel now?" Harley asked.

"Terrified and irritated." Sky said. Everyone else laughed, but Sky cast Nick a brief look.

"Then pick a song from here that describes how you feel now." Elliott said, passing Sky the list. "We'll pick up after you start."

Sky took the list, and she stared at it for a moment. She really, really, really, _really_ , did not want to do this. She never intentionally sang in front of other people before. That, and music was such a personal thing for her. She couldn't just belt out her feelings to random people. Then again, these people were her friends. Nick most likely won't stop bugging her until she does this. Maybe just a few bars. Yeah, then she can move on. Sky scanned the list again. Then she pulled out her guitar and tuned it a little. She started strumming, and Rachel and her ground hurried to their instruments to join in when they could. Harley and Katherine waited, excited, and Sky noticed Nick give her an encouraging nod. She sighed, and she began to sing. Sky stopped playing after a few verses, but realized with the start that everyone else was still going. They nodded to encourage her on, but Sky's face suddenly felt hot and her words got caught in her throat.

Harley grinned and moved to sit next to her, taking over the vocals. She guided Sky's hands back to her guitar, and she gave an encouraging smile. Sky unconsciously began strumming, and she shut her eyes to focus only on the music. She tried to imagine she was back at her favorite spot near the cliff, right by her home. It helped, and she began to forget that she was with other people.

Sky jumped at the clapping, and she was propelled back into the theater with everyone around her. _Oh wow. That actually happened._ She swallowed. "Uh, was that all right?"

"All right?" Rachel laughed. "That was great!"

"You have a beautiful voice." Katherine complimented.

"I'll say." Harley agreed. Everyone else voiced their agreements, and Sky steadily began to perk up. She glanced to Nick, who smiled broadly albeit proudly. The thanks in Sky's eyes was enough for him, and he gave her a nod.

"What else do you know?" Serena asked hurriedly.

Sky took the list again. "Well, let's see…"

* * *

Sky, Harley, and Katherine started making a regular habit out of joining Rachel, Emmett, Elliott, Serena, and Benny for lunch. The small band proved to be good company, and they served as sufficient backup when Samantha came by to torment them. She targeted Sky the most, and day by day Sky found it was getting harder and harder to ignore Samantha. Harley and Katherine often had to calm her down, either by verbally soothing her or physically holding her back. But they couldn't stop Nick from exacting revenge when it was appropriate, and the group of friends secretly enjoyed seeing Samantha trip over invisible objects and hearing her shriek in irritation.

"Hey guys!" Benny shouted as he sprinted across the lunchroom and over to them. He held a flyer tightly in one fist. "Guys! Check this out!"

"What is it?" Emmett and Elliott asked at the same time.

Benny practically slammed the flyer down on the table for all of them to see. "Auditions for the show!"

"The director chose _Wicked_?" Katherine breathed. "How did he get enough money for the rights?"

"Apparently somebody owed him a favor." Benny shrugged. "I'm auditioning. Anyone else want to join me?" Everyone else voiced their agreement. "Great! They're starting in ten minutes. Let's go!"

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Rachel yelped. Everyone quickly finished their food, grabbed their things, and followed Benny out the doors.

"Why didn't you give us a better head's up?" Emmett complained as they hurried to the theater.

"I didn't even find the flyer until today." Benny shrugged. "I had been looking for when the director would announce auditions, but I never saw a flyer until a while ago."

"Why would that be?" Sky wondered aloud. "If he was holding auditions today?"

When they arrived at the theater, it soon became apparent why. A group of students waited outside the doors, and Samantha could easily be seen amongst them. Several of the other students looked like the ones who constantly followed Samantha around, each with a personality very similar to hers only less dominant.

"Who here wants to bet that she took down the flyers?" Harley droned. Everyone in the group raised their hands. Nevertheless, they joined the group of students waiting to go in.

Samantha noticed them. "For the love of Dodge, you aren't serious. You really think you have a shot?"

"Boy, you just never run out of energy for being a jackwagon, huh?" Sky retorted.

Samantha marched up to Sky, but the raven-haired woman stood her ground. Everyone else watched, a little tense, as Samantha stood almost nose-to-nose with Sky. "Don't talk like that. Don't talk like you have any real power here. You're nothing. You're not worth anything to anyone. Nobody cares about someone who was abandoned by her own parents."

Sky's eyes blazed with fury, and her hands clenched into fists. But before she could lift one to punch Samantha, Harley grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Harley gave Samantha a glare. "Why don't you worry more about your audition? Wouldn't want you to topple right off your throne."

Samantha scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Losers." She turned and walked off.

Sky jerked her arm out of Harley's grip. "You should've let me punch her."

"It would've done you no good." Harley said.

Sky huffed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Shows what you know."

Harley's eyebrows furrowed, more out of concern than anger. She sighed. "Come on. Looks like they're letting people in."

* * *

After the auditions, everyone dispersed to go about their business. Sky stomped off with the excuse that she was tired and wanted to go back to her dorm. Katherine and Harley watched her go.

Katherine looked to Harley. "Why do you do it?"

"Do what?" Harley asked.

"Keep trying." Katherine said. "You always fight back against Samantha, as does Sky."

"What are we supposed to do?" Harley scoffed. "Give in to her bullying?"

"Yes." Katherine nodded. "You saw what happened in there. She knows how to break people down. She can rig the cast to make herself and her friends the leads. I'll bet you anything she gets the role of Glinda, like she wants."

"Katherine, I was not raised to turn a blind eye or submit to the bullies of the world." Harley said firmly.

"Perhaps you should learn." Katherine said solemnly. "Samantha Waller is the queen of this school. It is time you learned this." She wheeled off, and Harley sighed as she walked off.

 _I really need to call Mater or something._ Harley decided. _All this stress is starting to get to me._

Katherine wheeled herself around the campus for a while, enjoying the fresh air. It wasn't nearly as hot as it used to be, an indication that fall would soon be fully upon them. She looked around as she went about her business. Most of the students were in classes by now, so much of the area looked deserted. Soon, her travels brought her to the Wildlife Hall, and she paused to glance towards the building. _I wonder if Sky is feeling any better. I hope she isn't too mad anymore._

Then, Katherine noticed something else: a semi-translucent figure floating next to the window of Sky's room. Katherine wheeled herself over as the figure, now seen to be a helicopter, floated to the ground. The ghostly helicopter seemed sad about something.

"Hello." Katherine greeted.

Nick shouted in surprise and shot straight up into the air, hitting the branches of a tree and falling down again. He looked up to see a shocked yet giggling Katherine. "Hey….." He whined.

"I do apologize." Katherine said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Yeah, whatever." Nick huffed. He froze, and he stared at Katherine. "Wait. You can see me?"

"Yes." Katherine nodded. She looked around. "Let's talk somewhere in private." She began wheeling off, and Nick followed her quickly.

"Should you really be wheelchair-ing around in the grass?" Nick asked.

"First, that is not a proper verb." Katherine pointed out. "Second, it's fine. See my chair wheels?" Nick took a look, and he realized the wheel treads looked more like they belonged on a mountain bike, giving Katherine enough traction to move on the grass. The two of them ventured to the edge of the forest, and they settled down as Katherine locked her wheels.

"So you've always been able to see me?" Nick asked. "I thought I was invisible to everyone except Sky and a friend of mine."

"I see ghosts whether they or I want to or not." Katherine explained. "It's just something I've been able to do all my life."

"Is it because you're a psyche human?" Nick asked.

"It might have something to do with my psych-man abilities." Katherine nodded. "Perhaps they are the reason I have the power to speak to the dead. But I haven't found my Soul Connect Partner yet, so I can't be sure."

Nick nodded in understanding. "I see."

"At first, I thought you were a malicious spirit." Katherine said. "But you're guarding Sky, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Nick nodded. "You know, just keeping an eye on her for our family."

"That's wonderful." Katherine said.

"Yeah, but I don't want anyone else to know." Nick said. "Can you just keep this between us?"

"Of course." Katherine nodded. "I promise."

"Thanks." Nick said gratefully. "By the way, are there any other ghosts around here I should know about?"

"Well, there are a couple kind spirits living in the forest." Katherine said. "The first owner of this estate likes to wander around now and then. But, closer to us, I've noticed the ghost of a red car watching over Harley."

"A red car?" Something clicked in Nick's mind. "Is it a Jaguar?"

"A type of Jaguar." Katherine confirmed. Nick frowned in thought, and Katherine became a little worried. "Is everything all right? He's nice, I'm sure."

"I dunno…." Nick murmured. "Is it possible to meet the guy?"

Katherine thought about it. "I think we can work that out."

* * *

That night, Nick waited until Sky was deep in sleep before slipping over next door to Harley's room. The second he got his nose through the wall, something smashed into him and sent the ghostly helicopter through the walls and outside. He pushed back and saw the Jaguar from before. The car glared hard at him.

"You asked for that one." The Jaguar growled.

"I was hoping that would get your attention." Nick noted, returning the glare.

"Why? Was beating me once not good enough for you?" The Jaguar huffed. Nick glanced to the side, and the Jaguar followed his gaze to see Katherine wheeling up to them. "Are you revealing yourself to her?"

"Don't need to." Nick said. "She can see us no matter what."

The Jaguar blinked in surprise, and he looked to Katherine. She smiled at him. "Hello. My name is Katherine Achebe."

The Jaguar relaxed ever so slightly. "Hello."

"We ain't gonna hurt you." Nick said. "Unless, of course, you plan to hurt us."

"I have no intention of doing so." The Jaguar snapped. "I'm simply trying to protect someone close to me."

"Good." Katherine nodded. "Nick here is the same way."

Nick straightened up a little. "Nick Loopin' Lopez, at your service."

The Jaguar's expression relaxed. "Agent Leland Turbo, of C.H.R.O.M.E."

"Pleasure to meet you." Katherine nodded. "I want you both to know that, should you need anything, I will do my best to help."

"Much appreciated." Leland nodded.

"Yeah, thanks." Nick said.

Katherine grinned. "You're welcome. Now, I hope there won't be any more trouble between you two. I have to get to bed. Goodnight." Nick and Leland bid Katherine goodnight, watching her roll off. When she disappeared, the two ghosts stared at each other for a long moment.

"So, you're not going to hurt Sky?" Nick asked.

"It was never my intention to do so." Leland confirmed.

"Then what do you want with her?" Nick demanded.

Leland sighed. "I'm afraid that's classified."

"You know, that doesn't make it easier for me to trust you." Nick noted.

"I know." Leland nodded. "But I don't mean her any harm. That much I can promise."

Nick sighed. "Fine. But I don't want you going near her anymore."

"Likewise, I would appreciate it if you didn't go near Harley." Leland said. "Unless the girls are with each other."

"Done." Nick nodded.

* * *

Nick and Leland starting paying closer attention to the girls they guarded, and they gave Katherine nods in greeting whenever they saw her. It was a weird new "normal" for them, but the two ghosts still had traces of hostility towards one another. Meanwhile, the girls seemed to get along just fine. Sky almost forgot about seeing Harley with a gun, but she soon found a very legitimate reason for having a gun: protection. From what? Sky had no idea. Maybe Harley was paranoid about having her place of residence broken into. Maybe she hid some things from Sky, but Sky felt she could give Harley some of her trust.

"That was so cool!" Sky said for the hundredth time during lunch one day.

Harley laughed. "It wasn't that impressive."

"You healed both Professor Wheeler's scratch and my cut with your powers." Sky said. "And you didn't even break a sweat!"

"It _is_ rather impressive, Harley." Katherine said.

"Yeah." Harley shrugged. "But what about you, Sky? Your healing abilities are phenomenal. It looked like it didn't even hurt."

"It doesn't, usually." Sky said. "My work with firefighting definitely helps with that. You develop quite the tolerance for pain in that job."

"I'll say." Katherine agreed. "Your powers are remarkable."

"I wouldn't say that." Sky shrugged. "I mean, I know I'm powerful, but—"

"But nothing." Harley said. "Sky, you ace your classes without a problem. Every time we have to demonstrate or practice our abilities, you do better than anyone else _every single time._ To heck with modesty. That's cool."

Sky grinned. "Yeah. It's pretty cool." The girls laughed, continuing to eat. Nick smiled proudly, casting a somewhat smug grin to Leland. The ghost spy rolled his eyes, but even he had to admit that Sky was one of the most powerful psyche humans he ever encountered. Nick knew Sky was truly discovering her potential at this school, and he couldn't wait to see how she and Blade could practice what she learned.

"Excuse me?"

The girls and the ghosts looked to who spoke: a middle-aged man with tan skin, gray-brown (but mostly gray) hair, and light brown eyes. He wore a black suit, black loafers, a gray dress shirt, and a blue tie. He smiled warmly at the girls, but Nick and Leland noticed his gaze lingered on Sky.

"Hello." Katherine greeted pleasantly.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're Skylar Riley." The man guessed, looking to Sky.

"That's right, sir." Sky nodded.

"Well, I must say it is a pleasure to finally meet you." The man said, shaking Sky's hand so hard her entire body shook a little.

"A pleasure to meet you." Sky said. "But, uh, have we met?"

"Oh, of course!" the man laughed. "How silly of me. I am George Waller, the dean of the academy."

Sky's expression morphed to one of shock. "You're Dean Waller?"

"I am." Dean Waller nodded.

Sky smiled broadly. "Wow! It is so good to meet you! And thank you for the scholarship to come to the school."

"Well, the board and I figured you could learn something while you're here." Dean Waller said. "Perhaps help with your racing. I've noticed that you are doing exceptionally well in all of your classes. Your powers are unmatched by anyone in this school."

Sky blushed a little. "Thank you. It's an honor to hear that."

Dean Waller chuckled. "I'll just leave you girls to your lunch. It was a pleasure talking to you." He walked off, leaving the girls to stare after him.

"He's cheery." Sky noted, a little confused over the encounter.

"I can't believe we saw him." Katherine said. "The dean rarely comes out to talk to the students."

"Well then I'm honored." Sky said. "He seems nice."

"Indeed." Harley murmured, looking in the direction Dean Waller left.

* * *

Leland watched Harley work at her desk, and he marveled at her organization. She had a notebook open with pieces of information organized by relevance, her laptop powered on and displaying several files Finn emailed her, and a stack of books rested in front of her should she need to look something up. But Leland knew that no amount of organization would really help solve a case quicker. It just made the process easier. He wished he could help her, but Leland hadn't even revealed himself to Finn yet. He'd find a good time to do it. Someday.

Harley heard her phone ring, and she checked the caller ID. She grinned as she answered the phone. "Well hello Mr. James Bond."

" _Harley, I have told you to stop calling me that."_ Finn's voice droned on the other end. Leland perked up at his partner's voice, and he ventured closer to listen.

"Come on, it's a code name." Harley laughed.

" _It is not a code name. It is a terrible representation of spy work."_ Finn said.

"Really?" Harley asked. "Because I've seen every James Bond movie since we met, and you act just like him."

" _I most certainly do not!"_ Finn retorted.

"You do too." Harley said.

" _I do not."_

"Do too."

" _Do not"_

"Do too."

" _Do not."_

"You sound like a child!" Harley laughed. She could already picture her Soul Connect Partner's eye roll.

Finn was silent, and then he sighed. _"All right, Harley. You don't start off conversations with a joke unless something's happened. What's your report?"_

Harley sighed. "Well, unfortunately, there hasn't been much movement from Waller. He's been really quiet, from what I've seen. Ever since what happened to Ronald, he's been laying low. But the other day, something came up."

" _Really?"_ Finn asked, his interest perked.

"Waller approached me and my friends." Harley explained. "And he actually congratulated Sky on her exceptional powers and the progress she's making in the school. I can't think of a time when he's done this before."

" _You think Miss Riley is a person of interest?"_ Finn asked.

"I think so." Harley nodded. "Waller's only activity recently has been his interest in Sky. Did you do some research on her?"

" _You know, now that you mention it, I did find a few things about her."_ Finn said. _"Holley and I looked into it, and we found some idiosyncrasies."_

"Such as?"

" _Holley found the medical records for Piston Peak Air Attack, and she took a look at the incident that gave Miss Riley that burn scar she told you about. I checked the record myself, Harley. She_ should not _have survived the injuries she received by healing the fire chief, Soul Connect or not."_

"That scar did look pretty bad." Harley murmured. "But how could she survive if the injury was that bad?"

" _I'm not sure."_ Finn said. _"Perhaps her powers are even greater than we thought. But there's something else we found in her school records for the academy. Waller granted her a full scholarship."_

"A full scholarship?" Harley gasped. "I mean, I knew she had a scholarship, but she didn't mention it was full ride."

" _We didn't think much of it at first."_ Finn admitted. _"But then Holley found out that Waller has never granted it to another student before, except of course his own daughter. Given what you've told us, Harley, you might be on to something."_

Harley thought about it, and her heart sunk. "Then I was right. Maybe the key to this entire case is Sky."


	8. Taking A Stand

**Chapter Eight – Taking a Stand**

Sky packed her radio in case she ever needed it, and that turned out to be a good call. When October finally rolled around, Sky stuck her radio in her pocket and hooked her headset around her neck. She listened attentively for word on when Blade would fly in. More often than not, she couldn't stop bouncing in her seat. This, of course, caused much amusement for her friends.

"Sounds like you and your Partner are really close." Harley said as they lounged at a picnic table outside. The air was definitely cooler, but the sun was out. So they pulled on their jackets and went outside to soak in some last-minute Vitamin D.

"He's like family, really." Sky said. "Blade and I have a lot in common, I guess."

"How so?" Katherine asked.

Sky shrugged. "Just that the two of us both suffered in our pasts, but we've managed to leave that pain in the past. It's gotten easier since the Soul Connection."

Nick smiled softly. _It sure has. Still need a little more work, but you're getting there._

"I can't wait to meet him." Harley said. "We got a firetruck in Radiator Springs. Nice guy, but mostly quiet."

"Blade's not exactly the quiet type, but he's also not a chatterbox." Sky said. "He kinda has this commanding voice. Trust me, you don't want to hear him angry. He sounds like thunder when he yells."

" _Oh do I?"_

Sky jumped when she suddenly heard Blade's voice, and she realized she still had her radio and mic on. She pulled her headset onto her head. "How much of our conversation did you hear?"

" _Most of it."_ Blade said. _"I just tuned out until you started talking about me."_

"Of course you did." Sky rolled her eyes and laughed. "When are you getting here?"

" _In just a minute."_ Blade said. _"Just got clearance to land."_

"Wait, then where are you?" Sky looked around.

" _Wait…..clearing some trees….ah, there you are!"_

Sky noticed a red and white shape coming over the trees, and she smiled broadly. "He's here!" She stood and sprinted off, Harley and Katherine laughing as they followed her. Sky waved to Blade as the helicopter touched down in a field near the tables. Blade chuckled as Sky came up to hug him.

"Hey, you weren't gone for that long." Blade noted.

"Maybe, but I was excited for you to come." Sky giggled.

Blade rolled his eyes. "You are somethin' else, Raven."

"Raven?" Harley repeated.

Sky shrugged, swishing her pitch black locks back. "Have you _seen_ my hair?" She laughed. "Blade, this is Harley Hudson and Katherine Achebe. They're friends of mine. Harley, Kat, this is Chief Blade Ranger of Piston Peak Air Attack. He's my Soul Connect Partner."

"We've heard a lot about you." Harley said.

"A pleasure to finally meet you." Katherine nodded.

"Raven's told me a lot about you as well." Blade nodded in greeting. "She's also told me that we have to do something for a class?"

"It's for Connections 101." Sky explained as they made their way back to the picnic tables. "Since everyone in the class is a psyche human, they'll be able to see our connection. Our professor wants to use it as a teaching point."

"And you might be asked some questions." Harley piped up.

Blade nodded in thought. "All right. I suppose that'll work."

"Don't really have a choice." Nick whispered teasingly. Blade gave a flick of his rotors, clipping Nick's and making him jump.

"Long flight?" Katherine asked.

"Just from Piston Peak to here." Blade said.

"Would you mind if we took a look at the Soul Connection now?" Harley asked. "I'd love to take a look with my powers."

Blade cast a questioning look to Sky. "Harley's a Connector too. She has awesome healing abilities." Sky explained. Blade nodded in understanding, and Sky put her hand to his muzzle. The Soul Connect Thread appeared, and Harley's eyes glittered in awe. She came over and gently lifted the Thread into her hands. She held the glowing thread close to her glasses.

"Incredible." Harley breathed. "It looks solid instead of translucent. It glows brightly. Even my Soul Connection, strong as it might be, doesn't look anything like this."

"You wanna try to sound like you're not a scientist studying a lab rat?" Sky laughed.

Harley grinned sheepishly, dropping the Thread. Sky moved her hand, and the Thread disappeared. "Sorry." Harley said. "When you get powers like mine, you develop a fascination for studying other connections."

"That's all right." Sky assured.

"We're still trying to figure out what we can about it." Blade admitted.

"Well, it'll be interesting to see what happens in class." Harley said.

"Speaking of class." Katherine checked her watch. "I must go before I'm late for my next one."

Harley checked her phone. "Oh yeah. I told my family I'd call them today. I'll see you guys tomorrow." She and Katherine hurried off, waving goodbye to Sky and Blade.

"Nice friends you got there, Raven." Blade mused.

"Yeah." Sky nodded. Her gaze lingered on Harley as she skated off.

Blade noticed the look. "Still suspicious of her?"

"Not really suspicious." Sky shrugged. "Just…cautious."

"I haven't seen her do much." Nick said. "But there are nights when I spot her sneaking down the hallways."

"We'll keep an eye on her then." Blade said. "I'll stick around for a while. You let me know if you need my help with anything."

Sky nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Blade."

* * *

"All right, class." Professor Wheeler called, silencing the chatter from the students. "Today we will be the first day of our Soul Connect unit. To begin, I would like you all to help me welcome Skylar Riley's Soul Connect Partner: Chief Blade Ranger."

The class clapped, and Sky and Blade made their way to the front. Sky looked to Blade, who nodded to confirm he was ready, and Sky put her hand on his side. Their Soul Connect Thread appeared, to the awe of the students in the room. Samantha's eyes flashed with jealousy when she saw the Thread glowing so brightly.

"Cool." Harley breathed.

"Everyone pay attention." Professor Wheeler said. "This will be on your final exam." Immediately, at least half of the students got their notes ready. "Basics of the Soul Connection. First, it can be identified mainly by its appearance. It is a thread of ghostly appearance, able to be at any length, and each end connects to the heart and the engine of the pair. The Soul Connection appears without the psyche human needing to consciously create it. However, the psyche human and their vehicle partner must be in physical contact, as you can see here. The connection's strength can be affected by a number of variables, i.e. sickness, exhaustion, or mental inhibition.

"The origins of the Soul Connection are spotty at best. There is not clear answer as to why these connections are apparent, though many theorize it has something to do with the psyche humans' equally as mysterious roots. Psyche humans are able to create connections with vehicles that allow them to bond psychologically and physically. The Soul Connect, however, is a connection that bonds them even further, going so far as to link the human and vehicle on an emotional level. This connection also allows for mutual control. That is, both the psyche human and the vehicle can control what happens through the connection."

 _We learned that the hard way._ Blade thought.

"With the Soul Connect, the powers of the psyche human are increased." Professor Wheeler continued. "However, this is only in cases that involve the Soul Connect Partner. For example, the healing powers of the psyche human are improved, but this is only when the vehicle they are healing is their Soul Connect Partner. Dream and memory sharing are also improved in these cases. Some reports have claimed that there is evidence of telepathic abilities between Soul Connect Partners. Now, locating the Soul Connect Partner is proven to be a tricky business. It could be almost anyone in the entire world. The identity is oftentimes hinted by the psyche human birthmark, however the more common way to truly know the identity of your Partner is by trial-and-error. I don't want to go into too much detail, because I'm sure there are things Ms. Riley and Chief Ranger can tell us. If you two don't mind."

"Of course." Blade nodded.

"Great." Professor Wheeler said. "Any questions from the room?" At least a dozen hands shot up.

"If it's really that hard to find your Soul Connect Partner, how did you two find each other?" one student asked.

"When I became a firefighter, I was sent to Piston Peak National Park to be trained and certified." Sky explained. "Blade taught me what I know."

"Has it affected your personal lives?" another student asked.

"Not really." Sky shrugged. "But I often go to Piston Peak for part of fire season."

"Have you noticed any change in either of you?" Harley asked this one. "Like, did you gain any new abilities?"

Sky and Blade exchanged a look, both of them wondering. "Any change or appearance of new abilities is only really apparent during dream or memory sharing." Blade said.

"Do you have any tips on how to strengthen a Soul Connection?" another student asked. "I've noticed mine isn't as strong as it used to be."

"What we've noticed is that, as Professor Wheeler said, the Soul Connect has a personal level to it." Sky said. "Blade and I have strengthened our connection by practicing with it, including dream and memory sharing. If you have a good relationship with your Soul Connect Partner, that alone does wonders for the strength of the connection."

"What would happen if one of you died?" Samantha asked this one, and it shocked several people in the class.

"Why the heck would you ask a question like that?" one of the students hissed. Blade and Sky weren't sure how to answer that question, and Blade had to shoot Sky a warning glare to keep her from saying anything (he assumed inappropriate) to Samantha.

"The strangeness of such a question aside, there is some legitimacy in it." Professor Wheeler said. "As I said before, most of what we know about Soul Connections is unknown. But physicality is something well ingrained in the Soul Connection. Just as the Partners share wounds during a healing process, physical strength and even pain can transfer through the connection. I have heard of psyche humans who died while in physical contact with their Partners while they were dying from crashes."

"So, is it possible that, when one Soul Connect Partner dies, the other one will too?" Harley asked.

"I don't think it's that black-and-white." Professor Wheeler said. "But remember: Soul Connections have a physical aspect. For example, should a vehicle become injured, and their psyche human Partner is in physical contact with them, it is possible for the injuries to carry through the Soul Connection and affect the psyche human. This also applies in cases where the psyche human receives the injury first."

Sky and Blade shared a look. More questions were asked, but Blade missed about half of them. His thoughts traveled back to the fires from Sky and Dusty's training at Piston Peak. When they were in that mine, he could feel Sky's hand on him. She stayed so close to him. Did that mean part of his burns carried over into her? When his engine failed and he crashed into the ground, did that give her pain? When Maru was working on his repairs, he noted to Blade that he had strange scratch marks on his sides and landing gear housing. Blade had taken a look, and amidst his other injuries he saw scratch marks that looked like a kitten had attacked him. He didn't know what to make of them, chalking most of them up as injuries from his crash. But now that he thought about it, didn't Sky have scars on her arms from scratches caused by her and Dusty's crash? What if those transferred over to Blade? All the adrenaline coursing through their systems would've prevented them from really thinking about it at the time.

Now, it was the only thing Blade could think about.

* * *

Sky stood in her room with her shirt off, leaving her in only her pajama pants and a sports bra. She stared in the mirror on her door, focusing on the scars that graced her arms and torso. The scratches didn't look nearly as bad as the burn. The burn scar looked like a disfigured spot on her midriff, stretching from her ribs to her hip and stretching halfway across her stomach one way and halfway across her back the other way. It was an ugly shade of red, and the skin didn't look right. It didn't feel right either. Sky gently ran her fingers over the burn, and she felt something she could only describe as the texture of carpet made of thick plastic. She sighed through her nose, placing her hand on the burn.

 _Those scars are the mark of a noble profession._ Mayday once said.

Only this wasn't exactly from firefighting. It came from saving the life of her friend.

" _Cuervo?"_

Sky jumped a little, and she saw Nick staring at her worriedly. His eyes traveled to the scar, and he stared in shock. "Geez, that looks terrible."

Sky cleared her throat and grabbed her shirt. "You saw the actual burn, I'm sure. The scar shouldn't be that bad."

"I guess it's just a bad reminder." Nick said. "We almost lost you."

Sky scoffed softly as she pulled on her shirt. "No you didn't."

Nick moved so Sky was forced to look at him. He frowned, his eyes a mix of stern and concerned. "Sky, I was there. I could feel your life fading. If I hadn't pulled you away when I did, you would've died."

Sky looked down, and she moved around Nick to crawl into her bed. "Nick, we're firefighters. Getting injured on the job is just an occupational hazard."

"I know that." Nick said. "But what Samantha and Professor Wheeler said during the lecture is really getting to Blade. He's concerned about the number of injuries you may have gotten because he was injured first."

"But he shouldn't worry." Sky said. "He has enough to worry about as a fire chief. He shouldn't have to worry about me too."

Nick chuckled. " _Cuervo,_ you're part of that team."

"I just don't want him to freak out over this." Sky said. "Will you tell him that? He'll listen to you."

"Yeah. I can do that." Nick nodded. "You get some sleep."

Sky smiled and laid down. "Goodnight, Nick."

"Goodnight, _Cuervo._ " Nick said. He disappeared, off to find Blade. Sky stared off into space, trying to get to sleep. But, even though she wouldn't admit it to Nick or Blade, the talk about pain transferring through Soul Connections also made her anxious. She touched her jaw, thinking back to when Blade had crashed. Amidst her panic, she vaguely remembered feeling incredible amounts of pain. She especially felt it in her jaw, oddly enough one of the places where Blade sustained the most damage from his harsh impact with the ground. A couple days after her and Dusty's crash, she looked in the mirror and noticed a faint bruise on her jaw. She shrugged it off at the time. She just assumed it came from the crash. But, if she really thought about it, when did she get that bruise? From Dusty's crash? Or Blade's?

 _Pain is temporary._ Sky reminded herself as she settled down to sleep. _As long as I can keep my friends safe, I'll endure as much as I can take._

* * *

Sky gained some popularity around the campus after she and Blade showed off their Soul Connection. Several of the students not in the Connections 101 class would approach them and ask to see the connection. Blade couldn't help feeling amused by the awe of these psyche humans when they saw the connection, and Nick continually ribbed him for his popularity. This wore off in a couple days, however, due to Samantha's attitude whenever she saw the commotion. Jealousy was clear in her eyes, but nobody dared to go against her on the subject. Blade soon discovered what Nick meant when he talked about Sky's struggle with a bully. He soon had to join the coalition of Sky's friends who had to hold her back every time Samantha came around to bother them.

"You just have to ignore her." Blade said one day during lunch.

"I didn't see you trying to ignore Cad." Sky muttered bitterly.

"First off, Cad was the one ignoring me unless he wanted to complain about my job." Blade retorted. "Secondly, I had to keep an eye on his work so he didn't bring the park to ruin."

"Good point." Sky sighed.

"It's no use getting worked up." Harley said. "Samantha's just a jerk. Letting her get to you is showing that she's succeeding, and it'll only encourage her."

"I know." Sky sighed again.

Blade gave her an encouraging nudge. "I'm going to grab some coffee. You want anything?"

"I'm good." Sky waved dismissively. Blade nodded, giving her one last concerned look, and rolled off. Not two seconds later, Benny suddenly sprinted up to the table and almost crashed into it as he sat down.

"Guys!" Benny panted. "News on the theater front!" Everyone snapped to attention. "The director is about to announce the cast list for _Wicked_!"

"About time!" Serena said. "I've been dying to hear who got what."

"Why bother wondering?" Katherine sighed. "We all know who will get the leads." Everyone realized she had a point. Samantha no doubt used her power as a dean's daughter to influence the director and make the cast list herself. To what degree it worked, they would find out soon enough.

"So what if Samantha and her friends have the leads?" Harley shrugged.

"Yeah, maybe we got some smaller roles." Rachel said. "I wouldn't mind playing a munchkin or a schoolgirl. I just want to be part of the show."

"But you won't enjoy it with her around." Katherine said. "She'll make the entire experience a pain."

"The director showed great interest in you, Katherine." Sky said. "I'll bet you got a good part."

"It won't matter." Katherine said. "If I get a part, I'll just tell the director I can't do it."

"You won't do it just because Samantha will be in the show?" Elliott gasped.

"Of course I won't!" Katherine snapped, crossing her arms. "I'm not going to subject myself to her torture if I can avoid it. I thought it was bad enough when people tiptoe around my disability, but she uses it as a main topic of teasing. I've had to deal with that for months. I'm sick of it."

The new depression in the air could be felt by every psyche human at the table. Even Nick and Leland felt it. They knew Katherine had a point. If Samantha got what she wanted—which she usually did—then she would go out of her way to make them all miserable if they got parts in the play too. Harley hated the thought of just giving up because of a bully. She learned a long time ago to fight through the fear. But that didn't mean everyone else could follow suit.

Sky looked to her guitar, resting in its case right next to her. After playing with Rachel and her group, she found herself bringing the instrument around more often. She tugged on her jacket sleeve and took a look around the table. Most of her friends seemed to slouch, frown, or did a combination of the two. Serena fingered a few strings on her guitar. Emmett tapped his drumsticks against his textbook. Sky frowned in determination, and she pulled out her acoustic guitar.

"Come on. We're singing a song." Sky said.

"What?" Everyone asked at once, even Nick and Leland.

"It'll lighten this depressing mood we're suddenly in." Sky said, tuning her guitar.

"Sky, we are not going to magically become happy just because we sing a song." Katherine huffed.

"We'll just see about that, now won't we?" Sky said confidently. "Rachel? Wanna choose a song?"

"Here's the list." Rachel handed the paper to Sky. "Harley, why don't you help with the vocals?"

"Really?" Harley asked.

"We haven't heard you sing in a while." Elliott shrugged.

Harley rubbed the back of her head. "Well, okay."

Sky pointed to a song on the paper. "How about this one?" Harley looked and she nodded in approval. Sky showed the choice to everyone else, and she began playing. Serena picked it up in seconds, and Emmett began using the table, textbooks, and even his dishware and cutlery as his drum set. Harley grinned, and she and Sky started singing. Their upbeat, melodious voices seemed to spread happiness amongst their table, and soon everyone was smiling.

Serena took up the guitar solo, and even without the guitar plugged into an amplifier she sounded good. Katherine's body language steadily shifted through the song from hunched over with crossed arms to sitting up straight and relaxed with her hands in her lap. The sight of her friends having such a good time fed into the atmosphere, and she began to feel it as well. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but maybe Sky was right: all they needed was a little music to lift the mood. Soon, Katherine began smiling and joined in to sing some of the final verses.

Everyone jumped when Emmett slapped his drumsticks down on the finishing note. The blow sent his plate flying into the air and sailing over the other picnic tables, finally crashing right outside the door to the indoor dining area. A woman wearing the kitchen uniform marched out and frowned.

"Emmett Anderson!" the woman snapped, waving a ladle threateningly towards the young man. "What have I told you about using your plate as a drum?"

Emmett winced. "Sorry Mrs. G! I'll pay for that!" Mrs. G nodded and marched back into the kitchen. Everyone at the table laughed, but they paused when they heard clapping. Forgetting they had a sort of audience, the musical group of students turned to see the other students at their tables applauding for the song. Sky and Harley blushed, but they smiled broadly along with Rachel, Benny, Emmett, Elliott, and Serena. Katherine smiled as well, her stress beginning to melt away. Blade watched from near the doors of the building, having found nothing interesting at the coffee stand but greatly enjoyed watching what unfolded outside.

 _Impressive, Raven._ Blade thought. _Very well done._

Suddenly, water cascaded down onto Katherine's head and dripped down around her lap and shoulders. Everyone jumped, and the clapping abruptly stopped. Samantha smirked and walked off, tossing the cup she held over her shoulder.

"Hey!" Sky snapped. "What was that for?"

"To stop you idiots from doing something annoying." Samantha shrugged, walking off.

Sky opened her mouth to snap at Samantha, but she suddenly heard gasping. She and the others looked to Katherine. Her eyes had gone wide and she hyperventilated, sometimes choking on air. She shook like a maraca, and she might've fallen right out of her wheelchair if Rachel didn't catch her.

"What's wrong with her?" Benny asked worriedly.

"She's having a panic attack!" Serena realized.

"Back off!" Harley snapped, moving to stand in front of Katherine. She put her hands on either side of Katherine's head. "Kat. Katherine, calm down. It's okay. Just breathe." As she spoke, Harley's hands began to glow with an aqua green light, and she gently pushed her healing energy into Katherine. Katherine's breathing steadied, and she shut her eyes as she calmed down.

Sky stared worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Katherine nodded slowly. She stuttered and stumbled over her words, and it took a minute for everyone to register what she said. "Scared of water. Can't swim. Almost drowned as a kid."

Sky glared at Samantha. _She knew. She had to have known._ "All right. That does it!" She put her guitar down and marched off towards Samantha.

"Wait, Sky!" Harley was too late to catch her, and she watched anxiously as Sky stomped after Samantha.

"Samantha Waller!" Sky shouted.

Samantha turned with a look that clearly said "What? Can't you see I don't care?"

"Oh I can't watch this." Harley groaned, covering her face with her hands.

Blade tensed up. He knew a major fight might break out, but he was tempted to let Sky get at least one hit in. Then, he noticed Nick flying over and put himself in front of Sky. He had to keep going backwards as Sky marched forward, but the ghost hooked one of his skids around Sky's fist to keep her from pulling it back.

"Don't do it, _Cuervo._ " Nick warned. "It won't help."

"It'll shut her up." Sky muttered, discretely enough that nobody noticed nor heard.

"No, it won't." Nick insisted. "It'll just show that you are willing to react, and that will encourage her to keep hurting you and everyone else around you."

"What do I do, then?" Sky demanded.

"Bring her down another way." Nick instructed, moving and allowing Sky to go forward. "Fight fire with fire if you have to."

Sky almost paused. _Fire with fire, huh?_

"What do you want?" Samantha droned, her hands on her hips.

Sky took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, imagining some of her anger leaving in that exhale. _Bring her down another way. I can do this._ Sky crossed her arms. "I just want you to know that I would love to punch you as hard as I can."

"Go ahead." Samantha taunted. Everyone braced themselves for the inevitable strike.

"No." Sky said.

Blade blinked in surprise. Benny almost fell out of his chair in shock. Harley dared to peek between her fingers.

"See, you're not worth my energy, physical or otherwise." Sky said. "Besides, I can cave your face in with one blow."

Samantha rolled her eyes and scoffed in disgust. "Oh I'm sure."

"Here's the deal, Samantha." Sky said, fighting to keep her anger controlled. "I don't care what you do to me. But I don't ever want you to mess with my friends again. Leave them alone or you and I are going to have a serious problem."

"Oh get over yourself." Samantha turned to leave, but Sky suddenly grabbed her shoulder and jerked her back.

"Get over myself?" Sky scoffed. "Why don't you get over _yourself_? You act like you're all that, but you're just a jerk. You try so hard to bring others down when really you're only afraid of coming across someone who's above you. Which, by the way, is about half the population of the entire planet."

"Are you sure you should be talking about things you don't understand?" Samantha sneered, her arms crossed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sky demanded, hardly noticing that their argument had the attention of everyone in the area.

"Everyone here knows you're an orphan." Samantha said, circling Sky. "You were abandoned by your parents. What did you say the reason was? Oh yeah. You said they gave you up because of what you are. They don't like psyche humans, so they abandoned their daughter because she was one. I don't think you realize just how wrong you are."

"Excuse me?" Sky scoffed.

Samantha stopped in front of Sky again. "Your parents didn't give you up because you're a psych-man. They gave you up because you meant _nothing_ to them. You don't mean anything to anyone."

Sky felt tears heating up behind her eyes, but she held them back. "Is that supposed to mean anything to me?"

"It means you're worthless!" Samantha snapped. "Everyone knows parents love their children. But what do you think it means when they deny their love to their own blood?"

"You think I care?" Sky scoffed. "You actually think I give a damn about what my parents thought or think of me? I learned a long time ago that I don't need my birth parents' approval to be happy. I don't care what they think. I don't care why they gave me up! I have a better family now. There are people in my life that truly care about me, and my birth parents are not part of that group. So I don't care."

Samantha paused for a moment, but Sky noticed that she had knocked down one of her tactics. Samantha scoffed. "That doesn't change your own worthlessness."

"Really?" Sky said. "You think I'm worthless? Let me ask you something, Samantha, is it because I'm not afraid of you like everyone else here? News flash: if I wasn't going to bend to your will in the fourth grade, I sure as hell ain't gonna do it here! You may have crowned yourself queen of this school but I will never, _ever_ bow down to you!"

"Yeah?" Samantha glared, stepping into Sky's personal space. "Well guess what: everyone else does. Everyone here knows I rule this school. You are the only one who will stand against me. You're an outcast, and you don't belong anywhere. So very fitting for an orphan."

Sky smirked. "If I'm alone, then I will stand against you for the rest of my life with pride and dignity. But I highly doubt I'm the only one who would stand against you if given the chance."

"Let's just see about that, shall we?" Samantha suggested. She turned to the students around them. "Who here would dare to stand with someone like Skylar Riley? Who else would come up against me when they know the consequences?"

"I would."

Everyone looked, including Sky, as Harley came up to stand beside her friend. She glared at Samantha. "I would stand by Sky any day. It's what friends do for each other."

"I would stand with her." Katherine said, wheeling up to rest on the other side of Sky. "Metaphorically speaking, that is."

"I'll stand with her." Rachel said, rising from her seat. A chorus of agreements joined in as her bandmates stood up from their table.

Samantha could see this going downhill for her. She hadn't considered what she would do if people actually agreed with the orphan trash. "Some army, Riley. Though I don't see much."

"I'd join her, then." A burly young man said as he stood up. He rubbed the football he held albeit nervously. "Sky's cool. If she can be brave enough to stand up for herself, I'll back her up."

"Me too." A woman said as she stood up. Soon, every student in the area began to rise and voice their agreement. Samantha looked all around, and suddenly she felt very small. She hated it, but there was nothing she could do as her kingdom fell to pieces to this new resistance. Sky couldn't believe how many people actually stood up and joined in with her, but she felt an overwhelming sense of pride at finally being able to face down her childhood bully.

"Ah, Ms. Riley!" a man weaved his way through the crowd, approaching Sky, Harley, and Katherine. The girls recognized him immediately as the theater director, and they involuntarily straightened up. "I hoped I would find you."

"Hello Mr. Street." Sky greeted. "Have you made the cast list yet?"

"Yes, which is why I came to find you, Ms. Hudson, and Ms. Achebe." Mr. Street said. "I like to make a habit of telling my actors and crew members directly what part they received. Ms. Riley, you have the part of Elphaba. Ms. Hudson, you will be Glinda. Ms. Achebe, you have Nessarose."

"Really?" Sky, Harley, and Katherine asked simultaneously.

"What?" Samantha gawked. "What about my part?"

"I'm afraid I didn't have a role for you, Ms. Waller." Mr. Street shrugged. "Now, girls, rehearsals start on Monday. Don't be late."

"Yes sir!" the girls nodded excitedly. Mr. Street nodded in approval, moving towards Rachel's table to talk to her group. But his voice became somewhat drowned by the cheer of the other students. Samantha growled in frustration and stomped off, but nobody paid attention to her. Sky, Harley, and Katherine cheered and hugged each other, ecstatic over the news. Blade sighed in relief, happy things didn't have to get violent. Nick smiled with pride, and he found he couldn't stop smiling.

 _Atta girl,_ Cuervo. _Now that's how we do things._

* * *

Nick liked to check in with Blade before returning to Sky's room for the night. As he and Blade talked, they both found that they couldn't stop going back to the topic of Sky's victory. She finally brought down Samantha, which would make life a little easier while she was at APS. Blade admitted he wouldn't have minded Sky punching Samantha, but he was glad things worked out the way they did. Nick appreciated Sky's work in solving the matter with words rather than fists, and he praised Sky for handling the situation so well.

After such an eventful day, Nick was happy to get back to the dorm and settle down for the night. While he didn't necessarily need sleep, he suddenly felt drained of energy. He arrived in Sky's room and found the lights off and the moonlight shining through the open window. Sky lay on top of her blanket, curled up in a ball and facing the window. She hadn't changed into her pajamas yet.

"Hey _Cuervo._ " Nick chuckled. "You really shouldn't sleep in your clothes." He waited for Sky's snarky response, but she said nothing. At first, Nick assumed Sky to be asleep. Then, he heard sniffling, and his expression immediately shifted to one of concern. "Sky? Hey, Sky." He nudged her shoulder gently. "What's wrong?"

Sky couldn't bear to look at Nick, and she buried her face into her pillow. "I lied, Nick."

Nick stared in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sky took in a shuddering breath, and she curled into a tighter ball. "I lied. I do care about what my birth parents are thinking. I do care that they gave me up. I know I always write them off as jerks and I keep saying that I'm happy with the family I have now. It's not that I'm not happy. I love Skipper and Sparky and Dusty and Blade and you." She turned and sat up, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at Nick. "But every time I think about my birth parents, I think about what I could've done to make them keep me. I think about how I want to know for sure why they gave me up. And sometimes….." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Sometimes I remember how much I miss them." Sky broke down, resting her head on her knees and letting the tears flow freely.

Nick felt his heart breaking at the sight. This is what he, Blade, and Maru had wanted to know a couple months ago. But none of them could've expected a reaction so severe. Sky had finally revealed her true feelings about her birth parents. While it made Nick happy to finally know, he also felt conflicted. He didn't know what to say.

So he just came forward and nuzzled Sky lovingly. Sky leaned into his touch, and she hugged him as she poured out her sorrow through her tears. They stayed that way for a long time, both of them thankful nobody else was around and hoping Harley couldn't hear them.

"Don't tell Blade." Sky whispered.

"No. I have to tell Blade." Nick said. "Because we just want to help you with this stuff. But, if you want, I'll tell him and then make him promise to never bring it up again."

Sky sniffled. "Will he keep that promise?"

Nick thought about it. "Probably not."

Sky gave a few shaky inhales and exhales. "Okay."

Nick gave her another nuzzle. "I love you, Sky."

Sky smiled softly. "I love you too, Nick."


	9. Time Goes By

**A/N: I updated two chapters (well, a chapter and a half) today! So don't miss Chapter Eight!**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine – Time Goes By**

October passed at a steady pace.

Sky, Harley, and Katherine continued to work with their classes, and Sky continued to ace them with ease. After classes, the girls would eat dinner and then go to rehearsals for the show. Nick was right. The process was hardcore and fast-paced, but the friends liked to run lines during lunch. Nick even helped Sky get some extra practice when they were alone. Even Rachel, Benny, Serena, Emmett, and Elliott received roles in the show. Rachel worked in the crew as stage manager and fly system. Serena played Madame Morrible, with humorous yet effective results. Benny played Boq, also with eloquence even during his clumsier scenes. Emmett and Elliot worked in the onstage crew, dressed entirely in black, and helped Katherine "stand" and "walk" when that scene came. It took a couple rehearsals for Sky to get used to having green stage paint on her face, neck, and hands. Harley had to wear a blonde wig for her role, but she managed to tough it out even when the wig became itchy.

Blade decided to stick around a while longer, staying in an apartment complex in Alamo that was linked to the school. Sky even used her scholarship to cover the housing costs. Blade initially wanted to refuse, but soon decided to pay her back by helping Sky with her schoolwork and keeping an eye on her. Nick always stayed by her side, but Blade felt more comfortable knowing Sky had backup just in case. They still didn't know if Harley had any intention of harming Sky. Lately, Nick had noticed Harley paying closer attention to Sky's actions and her progress in school. Nobody noticed unless they watched Harley's actions as often as Nick did. Blade sometimes considered calling Skipper and telling him, but he soon realized this would just cause unnecessary stress. Sky wouldn't like it if he made a big deal out of something seemingly small.

Harley continued to do her research when nobody else watched. She dug up all the information she could find on Dean Waller, and she forwarded it all to Finn. Then she began following the dean around to see what he did on a regular basis. Nothing interesting popped up except one thing: the fact that Waller seemed to take time out of his day specifically to stalk Sky. That alone made Harley tense, and she soon switched her watching to focus more on Sky's movement. Sky gave no indication that she knew Harley's true motives, and Harley made sure it stayed that way. Harley trusted Sky, and she wanted to protect her. But she couldn't know that, or else the whole mission could be compromised.

Leland and Nick began talking more often. They would meet in the later hours, when their respective charges slept peacefully. For the first couple days, they just talked about their pasts and their work experiences. They talked about Finn and Blade and the brotherly bonds they shared. But whenever Nick tried to pry at Harley's true reason for being at APS, he hardly got anywhere.

"I'm just concerned that Harley might be a danger to Sky." Nick reasoned.

"I can assure you that is not the case." Leland said. "If anything, Harley is protecting Skylar."

"But from what?" Nick asked.

Leland sighed. "You should know by now that is something I cannot reveal."

Nick sighed, mostly out of frustration. "Look, if Sky is in danger, then I need to know why. I promised I would protect her. If she's not safe at this school, then she needs to go home—"

"No." Leland said hurriedly. "Leaving would put her in greater danger. For now, it's best if she's closer to people who can keep her safe."

"I _can_ keep her safe." Nick assured with a determined glare.

"I don't doubt that." Leland said. "You and Chief Ranger care for that girl very much. But right now, her best chance at safety rests with the combined efforts of you and Harley. You need to trust me…..and her."

Nick had mixed feelings. He didn't know if he could really trust Leland, but something in his gut told him it would be all right if he did. So he and Leland steadily began to gain each other's shaky trust. But Nick didn't let his guard down yet. If anything, he became even more protective of Sky. She would often ask why he seemed so tense, but he never revealed anything to her.

Somehow, Sky had a feeling Nick lied to her, but she knew something seriously stressed him out. So she left him to figure it out, because she knew he'd never talk to her. That being said, she did ask Blade to talk to Nick about it. Nick wouldn't reveal Leland's presence at APS, but he did tell Blade about a "feeling he got" that Sky wasn't safe at the school. In the end, he regretted telling Blade this. It only made him more anxious.

Eventually, Nick and Blade resolved to keep an eye on Sky and secretly vowed to protect her from anything, including Harley.

The only upside seemed to be that Samantha stopped tormenting them.


	10. Discovery and Truth

**Chapter Ten – Discovery and Truth**

Sky closed her eyes, leaning against Blade's landing gear housing, and she thought for a moment. "'What? What are you all looking at? Oh, do I have something in my teeth? All right, fine. We might as well get this over with. No, I am not seasick. Yes, I've always been green. No, I did not eat grass as a child—'"

"You know you're going to have to speak with more emotion, right?" Blade said.

Sky opened her eyes and gave Blade a look. "Of course I know that. Just say the next lines."

Blade chuckled and looked to the _Wicked_ script on the desk in front of him. A downpour had given Sky the excuse to stay indoors save for walking to class. Mr. Street had a family emergency to attend to over in Albuquerque, so he gave the cast and crew the day off as long as they promised to keep up with their rehearsal on their own time. Blade invited Sky out to his temporary apartment so they could go over her lines. Sky appreciated the help, but she felt it got a little awkward when she had to review her lines that involved dialogue with Fieryo. Blade teased her lightly for this, causing laughter between them.

Blade checked his clock as they finished the scene. "It's getting late. Come on. I'll give you a lift back to the school."

Sky stretched. "Okay." She gathered her things, following Blade outside. "Thanks for your help."

"My pleasure." Blade nodded. "Just don't tell Nick. He'll find a way to poke fun at me for it."

Sky giggled. "Okay." She climbed into Blade's hoist hatch, and he took off into the air. Thankfully, the rainclouds had since passed to give way for a clear, star-filled night. Blade had no trouble finding a clear spot to land, and he got as close as he could to the dorm where Sky stayed without running the risk of waking anyone. He and Sky rolled/walked the rest of the way, enjoying the silence broken only by the crickets and the occasional coyote howl in the distance. November had arrived, and the air became considerably colder. Sky often never left her dorm without her jacket, and she suddenly remembered it would be much more freezing when she returned to Propwash Junction for Thanksgiving.

"Goodnight." Blade said as they reached Sky's dorm.

"Goodnight." Sky nodded, walking up the steps. She paused at the door. "Hey Blade?"

"Yeah?" Blade asked.

"Is there something you and Nick aren't telling me?" Sky asked. "It seems like you two have been tense lately."

Blade should've seen this coming. Sky wasn't blind to his and Nick's attitude changes. "It's nothing you need to worry about." Blade assured.

"So, there is something wrong?" Sky asked, walking back down towards him.

"Nick and I are just anxious to get back home." Blade said.

Sky stared at him, and she sighed through her nose. "Blade, I don't want any secrets between us, especially if it involves our safety. If there's something bothering or worrying you, I want to know so I can help."

"It's great that you want to help." Blade assured. "But this is just something Nick and I are working on."

Sky sighed again. "All right. But don't hesitate to ask if you need my help."

"I appreciate it." Blade said. "It's one of the things I like about you." He gave her a nuzzle, eliciting laughter from the young woman. "Now get to bed. It's late."

"Yes Father Dearest." Sky gave a mock curtsey, laughing as she walked up to the door. Blade chuckled, watching her go before turning to take off again. He didn't like keeping the full truth from Sky, but he and Nick didn't even know all the details yet. Best to not scare her if this entire thing turned out to be nothing.

As Blade rounded the corner, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He paused and looked over to see Harley walking away from him, having apparently come out of the dorm through a back door. She dressed differently than how he normally saw her: she wore black cowgirl boots instead of her skates, a blood red jacket instead of her cobalt blue racing jacket, and she buckled a belt with several pockets on it around her hips. She appeared to walk casually, but Blade could see she purposefully tread quietly so to avoid detection. It was almost eleven, and most of the other students already went to bed or were in the library studying for final exams and essays. Blade narrowed his eyes, and he began following Harley.

 _Time to see what you're really up to._ Blade decided.

Harley fingered her utility belt, ready to pull out any of the gadgets she had to use. She never knew what to expect, but she was taught to be prepared for anything. Because anything could happen during a mission. She still walked with a purpose, making it seem like it was perfectly normal to walk into the forest at this hour. She hopped over roots carefully, making sure she didn't create much sound with her steps. She looked back a few times until she couldn't see the school through the trees. Then Harley looked ahead and she closed her eyes. She focused her energy and her powers, and she felt a tug in her heart. She opened her eyes, and she found her Soul Connect Thread touching her heart and stretching out into the trees. She smiled as she followed the Thread, keeping an eye on the length in front of her to see how long she had to go. For several minutes, she only saw trees, moonlight, and the Soul Connect Thread glowing in front of her. Then, she saw a familiar figure a short distance ahead of her: a silvery-blue Aston Martin, currently in a meditative position to keep the Soul Connect Thread strong.

Finn opened his eyes and smiled broadly. "Good evening, Miss Hudson."

Harley mirrored his smile. "Good evening, Mr. James Bond."

Finn rolled his eyes, but gestured for Harley to come forward. Harley didn't waste a second as she hurried forth, and she hugged Finn tightly. Finn nuzzled her, and the two of them stayed in that position for a while.

"Gosh, I missed you." Harley sighed as she finally broke away. "I didn't think undercover work would involve so much time away from my Partner and my family."

"It's not always the easiest work." Finn admitted. "But worth it at the end of the day."

"Yeah." Harley nodded. "How are Holley and Mater?"

"Enjoying their time in Radiator Springs." Finn reported. "They're relationship has flourished over the last several months."

"You think he'll pop the question?" Harley asked.

"You never know with Mater." Finn shrugged. "But we ought to get to business."

"Right." Harley nodded. "Well, I've been following Waller, like you suggested, and it looks like his interest in Sky is growing. He's been stalking her all month."

"Have you been keeping an eye on her?" Finn asked.

"Yep." Harley nodded. "Tried to avoid being stalker-ish, but still kept a close watch. She doesn't suspect anything. I doubt she even notices that Waller or I are watching her."

"Has Waller made any move beyond watching?" Finn asked.

"He's keeping track of her school progress with alarming attention." Harley said. "It's like he's making sure she's doing well or something."

"How peculiar." Finn's eyes narrowed in thought. "Does this seem to be an increase or decrease in comparison to how he has treated past students?"

"Increase. By a lot." Harley said. "Like I said, he's pretty much stalking Sky. Recently, he's started paying attention to Sky's Soul Connect Partner as well."

"Her Partner?" Finn asked in surprise.

"He arrived at the beginning of October to show off his and Sky's Soul Connection to our Connections 101 class." Harley explained. "I thought he'd leave right afterwards, but he's still here. He seems pretty protective over Sky."

"What does he look like?" Finn asked.

"AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter." Harley described. "Red and black on white. Icy blue eyes. Seems pretty nice, but I get the feeling he could turn fierce in seconds."

Finn noticed something. "Does he have a glare that can freeze oil in its lines?"

"Have you been spying on me again?" Harley complained.

"No." Finn said. "I'm looking right at him."

Harley gasped and spun around to see Blade standing behind her, and she got the full impact of his Glare of Doom. Suddenly she understood what Finn meant by "a glare that can freeze oil in its lines." "Chief Ranger." Harley said when she finally found her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Blade growled. "Who is this? And what are you talking about, stalking Sky?"

"Okay, I know this looks bad." Harley said, trying to stay calm. "But please listen to me—"

"No, _you_ listen." Blade snarled, starting to roll closer to Harley. "You're going to tell me what's going on and what you want with Sky or else we're going to have a serious problem."

Finn drove forward to stand protectively in front of Harley, glaring at Blade. "Harm my Partner, and you and I are going to have a problem."

"Finn, don't." Harley said quickly. "He just doesn't understand."

"Then enlighten me." Blade ordered.

Harley sighed. "I can't. We can't. But listen—"

"No." Blade snapped. "I don't want you anywhere near Sky ever again. If you go near her, you'll regret it."

Harley put a hand on Finn's hood in an attempt to calm the furious revving of his engine. "How are you going to explain that to Sky?"

"Sky will understand just fine."

Harley, Finn, and Blade turned as two new figures emerged from the trees: Sky and Katherine. Sky's eyes settled into a glare. "Katherine saw you and Blade going into the forest." Sky said. "I had questioned following you, but now I see it was a good call."

 _This took an interesting turn._ Harley mentally groaned. "Sky, this isn't want you think."

"Really?" Sky scoffed. "Because I think Blade was right to be worried. You're hiding something from me, Harley."

"I too have noticed your somewhat secretive nature." Katherine said. "I just never saw a reason to question it until now."

"You two can trust me." Harley insisted. "I promise."

"Then tell us what's going on." Sky demanded. "Why are you really here at APS? Who is that car? At least tell us why you carry a freaking gun on your person!"

Harley opened her mouth, but no words came out. Could she really reveal everything? Right here, right now? If she didn't do something soon, this entire endeavor would descend into hell in a handbasket before she would have time to salvage it. That much she knew for sure.

Sky huffed. "Blade, let's go." She turned and began walking off. Blade and Katherine turned to follow her.

"Wait!" Harley's voice made them stop and look back to her. Harley looked to Finn for his approval.

Finn weighed his options for a moment, and then nodded. "This entire case revolves around Ms. Riley, ergo it involves her Partner. Seeing how the case involves all psyche humans, I will not object this once to Ms. Achebe hearing the details."

Sky, Blade, and Katherine turned to give Harley and Finn their full attention. Unseen to all except Katherine, Nick and Leland materialized off to one side to witness the interaction.

"So who are you really?" Sky asked/demanded.

Harley cracked a grin. "Well, I really am Harley Hudson. That wasn't a pseudonym. But I'm not just a student at the Academy for Psyche Students. This is my Soul Connect Partner, Finn McMissile."

"Harley and I are spies for the C.H.R.O.M.E. Agency." Finn explained. Harley pulled out her MI6 badge to show them. "We have been working on a case investigating Dean Waller."

"For the past five months, I've been working undercover as a student so to observe Waller's movements." Harley added.

"But why?" Katherine asked.

"Because across the country and even throughout the world, there have been slews of psyche humans mysteriously losing their powers." Harley explained.

"What do you mean 'losing their powers'?" Sky asked, suddenly curious.

"C.H.R. . came across several different medical records of psyche humans who went to their physicians because they were unable to use their powers." Finn explained. "At first, it was assumed to just be a random illness or maybe an epidemic. Upon further investigation, I discovered that these were psyche humans who were perfectly healthy and then appeared to lose their powers overnight."

"We started investigating last year." Harley said. "But it was slow going. The psyche humans losing their powers didn't seem to have any connection to one another. They had different financial statuses, none of them seemed to know each other, they were all different age, random genders, no correlation with ethnic background. The only thing they had in common was that they were all losing their powers within a very short span of time. Until recently, the case lost relevance."

"What happened recently?" Blade asked.

"We use the term 'recently' loosely." Finn corrected. "We discovered something just before we sent Harley to the Academy undercover."

Harley pulled out what appeared to be a circular hand mirror from her utility belt. She opened it, and a holographic screen appeared. She used a stylus to press a few things, and the picture of a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared on the screen. "You recognize this guy?"

"Should I?" Sky asked in a somewhat snarky tone.

"This is Kevin Ronald." Harley explained, bringing up a couple different news articles as she talked. "Nice guy. Graduate of the University of Washington. He made an open claim that Dean Waller had stalked him at the Academy for Psyche Students and then later stole his powers. Ronald took the claim to court, apparently wanting Waller to pay him a large sum of money and return his powers. However, the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Not to mention the entire premise seemed ridiculous, and nobody could prove how Ronald's powers were taken, if they were at all. After that, it seemed like things went back to normal. But, over a month ago, Finn called me with some bad news."

"Did Ronald make a comeback?" Katherine guessed.

Finn sighed. "Ronald was dead. The incident was ruled as a suicide, but my research showed that he was living a good life. If anything, his 'suicide' was ruled based on circumstantial evidence. We believe he was going to make another try for taking a case against Waller."

"So what does that have to do with why you're here?" Blade asked. "One guy says his powers were taken by Waller, so you launch an investigation against him?"

"Yes and no." Harley corrected. "See, after Ronald made his claim, we took another look at the psyche humans who had lost their powers. Turns out, they _did_ have a connection: they all previously attended the Academy for Psyche Students."

"I agreed to send Harley in as a student to work undercover and gather more information about Waller." Finn said. "We started tracking Waller's movements. Despite Harley's in-depth research, however, we seemed to reach a dead end until a couple months ago."

"What happened a couple months ago?" Sky asked.

"You." Harley said.

"Me?" Sky repeated.

"Sky?" Blade and Katherine asked.

"Waller's activity spiked again when he sent you your invitation to attend the Academy." Harley said. "He even gave you a full scholarship. He's never done that before."

"Ever since you came to the Academy, Waller has tracked your every movement." Finn added. "He keeps track of your school progress, follows you around the grounds, and keeps tabs on you and your Soul Connect Partner."

"But why?" Sky asked.

"Wish we knew." Harley shrugged. "But it might have something to do with your powers."

"She has the same abilities as every other psyche human at the school." Blade protested.

"True, but hers are stronger." Harley corrected. "You ought to know by now, Chief Ranger, that Sky's abilities are much more powerful than other psyche humans. She can do things even I can't do with my powers."

"We believe that, for some reason, Dean Waller's focus for taking psyche human powers rests with Skylar." Finn said. "What that reason is, we can't be sure of at the moment. All we ask right now is your cooperation and trust so we can prevent Waller from taking other psyche humans' powers."

Blade, Sky, and Katherine exchanged looks. All of this information kind of came as a shock, and yet it all somehow made sense. It explained Harley's and even Dean Waller's behavior. It also could explain why Waller sent Sky an invitation at a seemingly random time. A silent understanding passed amongst the trio.

"All right. We're in." Sky said.

Finn and Harley blinked. "What?"

"We're going to help you with this case." Blade said.

"Absolutely not!" Finn retorted. "This is no situation for a civilian."

"If this case centers around me, it centers around Blade." Sky said. "And Katherine is a psyche human too, so she's involved."

"Sky, it will be much too dangerous." Harley said. "Leave this to us."

"We're helping you no matter what, Harley." Sky said firmly.

"You cannot stop us." Katherine agreed.

"The last time we let a civilian onto a case, it almost ended in lives being lost." Finn protested.

"Did anyone die?" Sky asked.

Finn and Harley paused. "No." Finn admitted.

"Was the case still solved?" Katherine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes….." Finn muttered.

"Technically, it was only solved because of me and Mater." Harley rubbed the back of her head.

"Then it's settled. We're helping." Sky said.

Finn and Harley exchanged a look. Soon, they realized arguing about it would just give them migraines. "Fine." Harley sighed. "But you will follow Finn's orders, got it?" Sky, Katherine, and Blade nodded with some reluctance on Blade's part. "Okay. We'll keep in touch over the next few weeks and get some work done. If we can pull together, we should be able to catch Waller and at least get a warrant before classes end."

"Why the deadline?" Blade asked.

"When finals are over, the school shuts down from Thanksgiving until January when they do winter session classes." Harley said. "That'll give Waller too much time to cover his tracks."

"So how about we rendezvous day after tomorrow and do some research?" Sky suggested.

Harley nodded. "Good idea. For now, let's just get back to the dorms before anyone realizes were gone." Everyone else agreed.

"Forward any information you find to me." Finn said before he left. Harley agreed, and she led everyone else back to the school grounds.

"You know, you still haven't explained the gun." Sky noted. She giggled at Harley's deadpan reaction.

Harley rolled her eyes. "I'm a spy, Skylar. Do you expect me to walk around unarmed?"

* * *

Nick and Leland hung back as everyone else dispersed to go to sleep. The two ghosts exchanged looks before grinning.

"All right, I'll go first." Nick sighed. "I'm sorry for pounding on ya."

"Not at all." Leland assured. "My apologies for not explaining everything sooner."

"Now that it's all out there, I can understand why." Nick said. "Harley and Finn seem pretty cool. The three of ya must make quite the team."

Leland's grin faded, and he looked down. "Well, Harley and Finn make a good team. I'm more of a spectator."

Nick stared at him in surprise. "A spectator? Don't they know you watch them?"

"No." Leland said softly.

"But you're going to tell them, right?" Nick asked.

"Someday." Leland said dismissively.

"Someday when?" Nick asked, continuing to pressure Leland.

"Why do you care?" Leland huffed.

"Because I stayed on my best friend's tail for about thirty years before Sky managed to convince me to show myself." Nick said, causing Leland to stare at him in surprise. Nick's gaze went to the ground. "I had spent all those years afraid that I would hurt Blade by showing myself. When, in reality, letting him know that I was there helped him heal from the pain I caused when I died."

"But it's not like you died on purpose." Leland said.

"Of course not." Nick said. "But it still hurt him when he had to watch me die. I'll bet it hurt Finn when he heard you were dead."

Leland sighed. "He saw what remained of my body. At least, that's what I heard. I wasn't there to see his reaction." He swallowed. "I don't want to see his reaction."

"But can you see that he misses you?" Nick asked.

"Of course I can."

"Don't you think he'd be so happy to see you again? To be able to talk to you?"

"And what if seeing me just causes him more pain?" Leland demanded.

Nick smiled softly, remembering the very words Sky told him during a conversation like this. "That's just a risk you're going to have to take."

Leland stared at Nick for a moment. He pondered the idea. Trailing Finn and Harley for three years was nothing compared to the three decades Nick spent watching Blade. Leland fully intended to watch Finn and Harley until they died (of old age, if Fate was so kind). Didn't they deserve to know he watched them? "All right. How did you go about revealing yourself?"

"Mine was a spur of the moment." Nick said. "It'd be best if you did it in a way you think will work. You know Finn and Harley. Use what you know to break your presence to them gently."

Leland nodded in thought. "Very well. I'll think about it." He smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Lopez."

"Eh, just call me 'Nick.'" Nick said as he floated off. "Mr. Lopez was my dad."

Leland chuckled, watching Nick ascend up to Sky's room. His eyes traveled to the window of Harley's room, and he thought for a moment. _No doubt Harley and Finn will be awake for another couple hours to work. They always work late. Nick has a point. Harley has helped Finn cope with my death. Maybe I can finally show myself without him slipping into madness or depression._ Leland nodded, smiling in determination, and he spirited off towards Alamo. _Finn knew me longer. I'll show myself to him first, and then he can tell me when I can tell Harley._

It only took a few seconds to get to Alamo, and Leland hurriedly found the hotel where Finn stayed. He knew at once which room was Finn's because he looked through the window with the blinds drawn and didn't hear a thing. _Soundproofing the hotel room._ Leland chuckled softly. _You never change, ol' chap._ Leland easily phased through the wall and watched Finn video chatting with Holley and Mater.

" _Finn, you really ought to get to bed."_ Holley said. _"It's so late."_

"It's only midnight." Finn shrugged.

" _But don' ya usually stay up real late?"_ Mater noted. _"Ya git so tired when ya do that."_

"Thank you for your concern, Mater." Finn said. "But I'll be fine."

" _Do take care of yourself, Finn."_ Holley said.

" _An' I wanna talk ta Harley next time we chat!"_ Mater piped up.

Finn chuckled. "Very well. I'll talk to you two soon. Goodnight!"

" _Goodnight!"_ Holley and Mater called before they hung up.

Finn grinned warmly, looking over the reports he recently finished. "Let's see. Daily log finished. Files organized." He scrolled through a few more things. "Maybe I can get a few more things done. That research can be put out of the way."

 _Soundproof room. Talking to yourself. Overworking._ Leland shook with silent laughter. _Finn, my friend, you haven't changed a bit._

Finn checked his clock. _If I don't go to sleep now, Harley won't let me hear the end of it._ He sighed. "Tomorrow. Just do it tomorrow." He nodded to himself and closed the files and programs on his computer. Then Finn reversed towards his bed to turn in for the night. But he took another look at the nightstand and noticed the book he had started last week. He was almost done with it, too. If he tried to finish it now, he'd probably be awake for another half an hour to an hour. "Wait until tomorrow." Finn told himself. "Just wait until tomorrow." He settled down on the mattress pad that served as his bed, switching off the lamp.

Two seconds later, he turned the light back on and started reading.

Leland shook his hood a little. _Let's see. How to get his attention._ He glanced around the room for a moment before his eyes settled on the laptop still open. _Hmm….maybe…_

Finn jumped a bit when he heard his laptop beep. He looked up and noticed the screen lit. "I thought I turned that off." He murmured. He moved towards the computer to shut it off, but then froze when a blank document popped up on the screen. He stared at the screen for a moment, and then jumped again when a word typed itself out.

 _Finn._

The Aston Martin looked around, rather confused. "Yes?" He asked slowly.

More words appeared. _Finn, do you believe in ghosts?_

Finn stared at the screen for several seconds.

Then, quite suddenly, he unloaded his gun and shot the laptop a few times. The piece of technology sparked and buzzed before powering down.

Leland groaned quietly. _Oh Finn, you bloody cabbage! You're barking mad!_

Finn glared at what remained of his laptop. "What in Heaven's name?" He murmured, inching closer to the carnage.

Leland's expression morphed to a deadpan look. _Yep. That's the same Finn I know._ He sighed silently and forced himself to become visible. "Finn, was that really necessary?"

Finn tensed up and spun around, aiming both of his guns this time. But his eyes widened when he saw who parked behind him. His guns folded up again, but his eyes never left the ghost. It took a minute for him to find his voice. "L-Leland?"

Leland swallowed. "A Volkswagen Carmen Ghia has no radiator."

"Because it's air…..cooled….." Finn murmured, the shock fully settling in.

Leland smiled. "Nice to see you remember some of the tricks I taught you."

Finn let out a breath he didn't know he held. "You…..you're…..how….."

"Finn, don't go berserk on me." Leland requested. "I know it's insane. But listen to me. I just want to apologize for what happened. I didn't think about what I would do if I was captured. It was foolish of me to go without backup. I can't imagine what sort of pain I caused when I was killed, and I'm sorry for any distress I caused you. Is it at all possible that you could forgive me?"

Finn listened intently, and he soon came to the conclusion that Leland Turbo actually stood in front of him. "Did you come back just to apologize?" He sounded worried.

"No!" Leland cleared his throat. "I, um, have trailed you since the World Grand Prix. I couldn't just leave you without some kind of backup. I traded whatever heavens are out there to keep an eye on you. And to keep an eye on Harley. She's a good little bird, Finn. You're a lucky chap."

Finn smiled, his eyes becoming glassy. "Chrysler, you're really here."

Leland smiled back, just managing to hold back his own tears. "Well, you got me out of tough scraps before. I couldn't call myself your friend if I didn't treat you in kind."

Finn chuckled softly, sniffling and trying to regain his composure. This proved almost impossible, especially when Leland gave him a brotherly nuzzle. "I do have one question."

"What's that, ol' chap?" Leland asked.

"Why couldn't you have done this _before_ I shot the computer?" Finn asked, causing laughter between them.

* * *

Harley woke up the next morning to the James Bond theme playing on her phone. She groaned tiredly, fumbling around for her glasses and cell phone. She ended up putting her glasses to her ear for a second before she corrected herself, and she answered the call.

"Finn? Why are you calling me at this ungodly hour?" Harley asked, putting her glasses on.

" _I need you to meet me out in the forest!"_ Finn said rather excitedly on the other end.

"Right now?" Harley moaned. "It's like four in the morning."

" _It's important! Come along now!"_ Finn urged.

Harley moaned again. "Can't it wait until after breakfast?"

" _No! Now hurry up!"_ Finn said.

Harley sighed. "Fine. I'll see you in a few."

" _Make it a few minutes!"_ Finn said quickly, stomping out any ideas Harley had about stalling this meeting. Harley groaned her agreement, and she pushed herself out of bed. She didn't bother changing out of her long-sleeved pajamas, simply pulling on her red jacket and boots as she grabbed her keys. She walked out the door and towards the forest, shivering slightly. A fog settled over the land, giving Harley the perfect cover as she followed her Soul Connect Thread to find Finn. It took only a few minutes to find him, and that startled Harley somewhat.

"Finn, you really shouldn't be so close to the school." Harley scolded gently. "You said so yourself that we can't risk anyone seeing you. You could be recognized, and I might need some backup in case something goes wrong. At least that's what you told me."

Finn couldn't keep the wide smile off his lips. "I know. But I had to show you something amazing."

"And it couldn't wait until after breakfast?" Harley droned.

"No." Finn chuckled. "It's important. Just trust me."

Harley sighed, crossing her arms. "It better be worth coming out here in my pajamas."

Finn still grinned broadly, and he looked to one side. Before Harley's eyes, a figure materialized next to her Partner. Harley's eyes widened, and she took off her glasses to clean them of any impurities. She put them back on, but couldn't deny what she saw.

"No way." Harley breathed.

"Harley, I would like you to meet my old partner-in-crime." Finn said.

Leland smiled as he nodded to Harley. "Agent Leland Turbo. At your service, Madame."

Harley blinked a few times. "You couldn't have told me that so I could change out of my pajamas?"

* * *

 **A/N: based on my research, calling someone a "cabbage" is British slang for a stupid person.**


	11. Working the Case

**A/N: I'll make a disclaimer here. I don't own** _ **Wicked.**_ **I'm just using the play as part of my story.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven – Working the Case**

After the craziness that happened last night, Katherine's announcement that she could see ghosts shouldn't have shocked anybody as much as it did. But Nick and Leland allowed Katherine to reveal that she conversed with them before, and it made their rendezvous much easier. Harley quickly accepted the fact that Leland had been around her all this time, especially when she saw how happy Finn became. Leland even went the extra mile to formally introduce himself to the group, and Nick mimicked him.

Once that finished, Harley brought everyone up to speed from the security of Finn's hotel room in Alamo. "So my research has been on and off productive." Harley explained. "But I did find some good stuff about Dean Waller."

"Have we figured out his methodology for taking psyche human powers?" Nick asked. Everyone cast him a look. "What? I may be a fake cop, but I did some real research."

"Well, Finn and I have concluded that Waller truly is hunting down psyche humans and taking their powers." Harley said. "We tracked suspicious transactions and communications that pointed to him being our unsub. It looks like he watches students at APS for a term or more, and then he tracks them down when they leave the school. He isolates them and slips them something that causes their powers to literally disappear overnight. Finn and I believe this 'something' might be a serum he injects into his victims or some form of powder or liquid he tricks them into ingesting."

"Motive?" Blade asked.

"No idea." Harley shrugged. "That's what bothers me so much. He doesn't seem to have a specific reason for doing this."

"Maybe he's thinning the herd." Katherine suggested.

"Taking out the psyche humans he believes are unfit to reproduce." Leland added.

"What if he wants to show his dominance as a more powerful psyche human?" Nick offered.

"That would sound logical, except for one thing." Finn said. "George Waller isn't a psyche human."

"Really?" Leland asked, surprised.

"I looked up everything I could find on this guy, even his birth certificate and medical records." Harley said. "He wasn't born as a psych-man."

"Maybe that's the key, then." Sky suggested. "What if he's taking psyche human powers so he can have them for himself?"

Harley nodded in thought. "Maybe. But then the question arises: how does he take their powers and then put them into himself?"

"It could be a matter of taking DNA samples from the psych-mans he steals powers from." Blade said. "Take away their powers, use the information he gathers about them to give himself those abilities."

"Have you done a medical scan on him?" Leland asked Harley.

"A medical scan?" Katherine repeated.

"It's something I can do with my powers." Harley said. "You're power transfer theory might hold some ground, Sky. I've scanned him once before. Even from a distance, I could pick up that he had traces of psych-man power in him."

"You know, if he created something chemical or medical-related to take away psych-man powers, he must have someplace where he creates the stuff." Nick noted.

"Like someplace at the school." Blade suggested.

"Already checked." Harley said. "I searched Waller's office and the entire school several times, but I haven't found a single trace of a serum or any kind of research on it."

"I too have searched the school quite a few times." Leland said. "Even in the science building, I have found nothing."

"What about his house?" Sky asked. "He sounds like the kind of guy who would keep such important work close to home so he could avoid suspicion."

"Even if it didn't work." Katherine said with a smirk.

Harley thought for a moment. "Now that I think about it, Finn mentioned that Waller lives relatively close to the school." She pulled out her laptop and typed a few things. "Ah ha! He has a house out in the country in New Mexico, not a long ways off from here. His permanent residence is in Florida."

"I can contact Siddeley and search the Florida residence." Finn offered.

"Then we'll look at his vacation house." Sky said.

"But we'll have to do it when he won't be there." Katherine said. "If we disappear in the middle of the day, he's bound to get suspicious."

"How about after _Wicked_?" Nick suggested. "Everyone will be busy with final exams, he'll assume you all will be too."

"I think I saw in his calendar that he usually has meetings during the final examinations." Leland said. "It would be a prime opportunity to investigate."

"Double check that." Harley said. "We'll make a plan to sneak into the house after the show."

* * *

Now that they were all part of an investigation, life became much more hectic for Sky, Harley, and Katherine. But they attempted to lead a "normal" school life, including their continuing _Wicked_ rehearsals. Things seemed to go well for them, and Sky became excited to hear that Skipper, Sparky, and Dusty were going to fly out to see the show. Harley also had some of her family coming out to see her.

Katherine wasn't so sure about herself just yet. Blade and Nick, who often sat in on rehearsals, noticed she would conceal herself in a corner when she wasn't onstage. They approached her about this one day.

"I'm just concerned that I'm not doing well." Katherine explained, smoothing out her costume. "I've memorized my lines, my music, my blocking, but even the director tells me something is missing."

"You want some advice?" Nick offered.

"You act?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah!" Nick nodded enthusiastically.

"Nick and I are experienced in Hollywood." Blade explained. "We worked on a show together before his death and my career change."

"Interesting." Katherine mused. "Well, you two are the experts. What do you think I can do?"

"Well, for one thing, you're just thinking too hard." Nick said. "It's great that you memorize you're lines, but you can't just speak 'em. You gotta feel 'em."

Katherine's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't understand."

"By accepting a role in a show, you essentially become your character." Blade said. "It's important to know everything you can about this character so you can portray them effectively onstage. Once you go past the curtains, you're not Katherine Achebe. You're Nessarose, the Wicked Witch of the East."

"Like this!" Nick hopped over past the side curtains so he was onstage. "Nessarose!" He leaped back to the other side of the curtains so he was offstage. "Katherine!" He went onstage and offstage, back and forth several times. "Nessarose. Katherine. Nessarose. Katherine. Nessarose. Katherine. Nessarose. Katherine."

Blade rolled his eyes and, after making sure nobody could see him, gave Nick a small shove to make him stop. Nick snickered, a jack-o-lantern-like grin on his lips. Katherine giggled. "All right. I think I understand now."

"Just keep in mind who you are once you enter a scene." Blade said. "And ignore any crazy things Nick does." Nick stuck his tongue out, and Katherine laughed again.

"Katherine!" Mr. Street called. "We're going to be starting 'Dancing Through Life' in a minute! You ready?"

"Yes sir!" Katherine called. She thanked Blade and Nick again before rolling off to her place. _Remember you who are onstage. I think I can do that._

If Mr. Street's post-rehearsal comments were any indication, she would be just fine.

* * *

Ever since Harley told her Waller pretty much stalked her, Sky found herself constantly looking over her shoulder to see if she could catch Waller in the act. But she never saw him. Harley advised Sky to just go about her business as normal. Showing that she probably knew something would only prove to be dangerous. So Sky forced herself to focus more on her schoolwork and the play rather than that tingling feeling that told her to be alert.

"Did Professor Wheeler say whether or not we'll have to demonstrate abilities for our final?" Sky asked as she, Harley, and Katherine studied in the library. Leland and Nick rested nearby, assisting how they could.

"He said we could demonstrate proper healing techniques for extra credit." Harley said. "But most of our exams are going to just be question-answer based."

"I hope I can remember what we need to know for history class." Katherine said. "I've been rather distracted lately."

"We all have." Harley assured. She looked around, but nobody else was in earshot. "There are times when all I can think about is the case."

"You mean during times when you should be studying?" Leland asked with a teasing smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Harley huffed.

"I've been thinking about it too." Sky said. "For one thing, how does one take away the powers of a psych-man? I mean, we're born with these abilities."

"We're also born with lungs, limbs, and many other things that can be impaired by injury or illness." Harley said.

"Wise words." Nick mused.

"Still, I wonder if it's been done before." Sky opened up an internet page on her laptop. "When in doubt, use the Internet."

"What are you searching?" Katherine asked.

"'How to get rid of psych-man powers.'" Sky shrugged. Her friends snorted a little to stifle their laughs. Sky rolled her eyes and looked to her results. "Huh. The Salem Witch Trials."

"The Salem Witch Trials?" Leland asked. "What are those?"

"They were a collection of ludicrous trials done in colonial New England." Harley explained. "Many women and even some men condemned as witches and warlocks who served the devil. They were imprisoned, hanged, burnt at the stake, you name it."

"Yeesh." Nick said.

"Someone even wrote a play about it." Katherine said.

"According to this article, some of the 'witches' and 'warlocks' actually proved their abilities to receive lighter sentences, only to be hanged as a result." Sky said.

"They proved their abilities?" Harley raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently, several of the condemned were actually psyche humans." Sky said.

"Though a terrible fate, it makes sense why people of the time would assume our kind to be witches." Katherine mused.

"Have you ever thought about how we got our powers?" Sky asked. "I mean, are they magic? Psychic?"

"Yet they can be stolen." Harley reminded her. "I think they're ingrained in our very DNA."

"Sure would be interesting to take a trip down memory lane and research our ancestry." Sky murmured.

"One problem at a time." Harley said.

"Like our exams." Katherine said. "Come on, now! We promised ourselves we'd go get ice cream if we did an adequate amount of studying today."

Sky checked her watch. "We've been here for three hours. I'd say that's adequate enough."

"Seconded." Harley said. "Let's get ice cream."

"All in favor?" Sky asked.

"Aye!" Nick said excitedly.

"Aye." Leland shrugged.

Katherine shook her head with a smile. "Aye."

* * *

Nick returned to Sky's dorm after his talk with Blade to find Sky still awake and reading a book in bed. "Come on, _Cuervo._ It's 11 p.m. Time for bed."

Sky giggled. "I see we're playing father now."

"You bet." Nick chuckled. "Now get to bed."

"I'm in bed." Sky replied in a snarky tone.

"Then get to sleep." Nick laughed. Sky laughed too, setting her book aside.

Nick took a look at the cover. "You reading about those Salem Witch Trials again?"

"Yeah." Sky shrugged. "It's…intriguing."

Nick narrowed his eyes in thought and concern. "How so?"

"Just interesting to know the reason people hold prejudice." Sky said.

"The only reason people do that is because they're idiots." Nick huffed. "I'll spare you the sob story of the idiots I had to deal with when I was a kid."

Sky cracked a grin. "Yeah. Must've been hard. Being hated for just being you."

It suddenly dawned on Nick. "You're thinking about your parents again, aren't you?"

Sky shrugged. "Kinda. As a kid, I never understood why they gave me up. But now that I'm older, I understand that they just held prejudice against me. They don't like psyche humans. Why? No idea. Maybe they just had a bad experience with them."

"That doesn't excuse their actions." Nick huffed.

Sky rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I mean….."

Nick moved so that Sky was forced to look right at him. They locked eyes, Nick's determined and Sky's surprised. "Skylar Amelia Riley." Nick rarely used Sky's full name, so she now gave him her full attention. "Don't you _ever_ try to defend your parents' actions. They left you. They _abandoned_ you. It is inexcusable. Got me?"

Sky blinked a few times, and then she smiled. "Okay."

* * *

A couple days before opening night, Harley hopped on the bus out to Alamo with the intention of seeing Finn. She felt more comfortable touching base with him in person rather than over the phone. Besides, he had reported to Harley that Waller's Florida home checked out as unsuspicious, so they had to make a plan for sneaking into his vacation home near the school. At first, Harley began to think about how she would do this without Sky or Katherine knowing. But she knew that would be futile. They and even Blade and Nick would want to join in on the investigation. Having extra backup wouldn't hurt, anyway.

Harley felt someone tap her on the shoulder, and she turned a little ways to see who it was. A young man and lady sat in the seats behind her on the bus. The man had dark brown hair, cocoa brown eyes, and fair skin. He wore a navy blue dress shirt, black slacks, black loafers, and a black blazer. The woman had a petite figure, with tanned skin, bright blonde hair, and dark brown eyes. She wore her hair in a bun, and she dressed in black sweatpants, boots, a black V-neck shirt, and a black leather jacket.

"Harley Hudson?" the man asked.

Harley raised an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

The man cleared his throat. "My apologies. We just want to talk to you about something important."

"My name is Lacey Largo, and this is my brother Quinn." The woman introduced. "I think you know our sister: Emily Largo."

Harley tensed up, and her hand flew to her pistol hidden under her jacket. But she paused. There were three other people on the bus. Could she really pull out a gun right now? What would she do? Leap out the window? Demand the driver stop?

"We know you must be surprised." Quinn said hurriedly. "But you must listen to us."

"Give me one good reason why I should." Harley hissed.

"We want to make amends." Lacey said. "May we talk with you and McMissile?"

Harley narrowed her eyes, but she relaxed ever so slightly. "I'll text Finn. One wrong move, I'll shoot you both." Quinn and Lacey nodded, and they sat back in their seats. Harley wished Leland were with her, but he had been with Finn all day doing some catching up. So she pulled out her phone and sent a text.

 _Largo siblings. Code Grey._

When Harley, Quinn, and Lacey got off the bus, they walked out to a secluded area outside an abandoned building and waited for Finn to arrive. It only took a few seconds before the Aston Martin tore up the road and screeched to a halt, unloading his guns and aiming them at the Largo siblings. Leland placed himself protectively in front of Harley.

"Whoa, whoa!" Quinn held up his hands. "We come in peace."

"Really?" Finn growled. "Why do I have a hard time believing that?"

"How did you find me?" Harley demanded.

"Emily put a tracking device on you while she was stalking Agent McMissile." Lacey replied without hesitation. "We followed it because we wanted to talk to you."

"Why?" Finn demanded.

"And where is that tracking device?" Harley snapped.

"Check one of the wheels on your skates when we're done talking." Lacey said.

Harley blinked. "I don't even want to imagine how she got that there."

Finn didn't put his guns away, but he relaxed on his chassis. "All right. You want to talk. Talk."

Lacey and Quinn exchanged a look and each took a breath. "We just want to apologize." Lacey said sincerely. "What Emily did was beyond crazy. Had we known we were helping her hurt you, Agent McMissile, we never would've agreed to her request for help."

"Honestly, she just said she was going to pursue a romantic affair." Quinn said. "So we helped cover for her at the agency so she could do it. But we had no idea who she was going after, nor did we expect things to take such a terrible turn."

"So you're not mad that your sister is dead?" Harley asked, her hands on her hips.

"We were mad at first." Lacey said. "But when we heard the whole story, we were just sad. Thanks to us, Emily was able to go through with her plans and she seriously hurt the both of you."

"So, even if we don't receive your forgiveness, we'd like to offer something to you so we can bury the hatchet." Quinn said.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Finn demanded.

"Because we aren't anything like our sister." Quinn said. "We thought we were helping with a good cause, when in reality she was sort of using us."

"To make amends, we'd like to offer our services." Lacey said.

Harley and Finn didn't stop glaring at them for a moment. Harley put her hand on Finn's fender, activating their connection. _Can we trust them?_

 _Not sure._ Finn thought. _But perhaps there may be some use for them._

 _Like what?_ Harley asked.

 _Information._ Finn said. Harley nodded, and she removed her hand. Finn finally put his guns away. "Very well. Do this for us, and we'll consider the hatchet buried."

"What do you need?" Lacey asked eagerly.

"Information." Finn said. "We are investigating a case involving the mysterious disappearances of psyche human powers. You two can help by doing research on genetics and chemistry. Find out if there's any science to back this up that might lead to a potential weapon our suspect is using."

"Done." Quinn nodded. "I can email what I find to you, Agent Hudson."

"This suspect of yours." Lacey said, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Is it George Waller, the dean of the Academy for Psyche Students?"

"Questions like that will likely get you shot." Harley growled.

Finn noticed the look on Lacey's face. "Why do you ask?"

"I know the dean." Lacey said. "Well, sort of. See, I had a friend who was a psyche human. Back when we were in high school, she came here to attend APS. I came to visit several times. One day, she and I were dared by some friends to sneak into a professor's office to steal some trinket. But we heard someone coming, so we hid in a closet. We heard the dean and a professor arguing about something."

"Do you remember the topic?" Harley asked.

"No." Lacey sighed. "My friend and I were so freaked out. I had blocked out that memory until just now. The dean was talking about some plan he didn't want ruined or something like that. We heard a struggle, and it sounded like someone was choking. The dean left, and my friend and I walked out of that closet to see the professor dead."

"Dead?" Finn repeated. "How?"

"Poison? Bludgeoned? I have no idea." Lacey said. "My friend and I got out of there as fast as we could, and my friend dropped out. Witnessing a murder can certainly scare the heck out of you."

"Did you tell the police?" Harley asked.

"No." Lacey said. "We were too freaked out. Besides, we didn't even see anything. We just had what we heard to go off of. Who would believe us? If we had gone to the police, they'd probably have arrested us for trespassing."

Finn nodded in thought. "Can you still get the information we need?"

"Of course." Quinn nodded. Harley and Finn nodded in satisfaction, and they turned to leave.

"Hey." Lacey's voice made them pause. "You two need to be extra careful with this case. People like the dean can be dangerous and crafty. Play your cards right, or he'll slip away."

* * *

 **A/N: "Code Grey" is a hospital emergency code, indicating a Combative Person with no weapon. For those of you who don't remember or know about the situation with Emily Largo, see my collection of oneshots titled** _ **Psyche Stories**_ **and go to the three-part story "Sparks Fly."**


	12. Opening Night

**Chapter Twelve – Opening Night**

Opening night had come.

Katherine especially had some pre-show jitters, but Sky and Harley helped with that to quell their own nervousness. There were only two showings, a matinee and an evening show, but it didn't help that everyone felt jittery. At least half of the cast had never done anything like this, much less in such a short amount of time. But the dress rehearsal the night before had gone smoothly, so everyone began feeling more confident in their abilities to do the show.

If things went as well as they did for the matinee, it would be a great finish.

Katherine's parents had come out to see both showings, and Katherine proudly introduced them to her friends. Sky and Harley were thrilled to meet Mr. and Mrs. Achebe, and the parents were happy to meet people to whom Katherine grew so close.

"I just didn't have a lot of close friends growing up." Katherine shrugged as the three of them sat at a picnic table outside the theater. "A lot of kids in my school would sort of tiptoe around me because they weren't sure how to react to a girl in a wheelchair."

"You're still a person." Harley said.

"Tell that to my third grade class." Katherine rolled her eyes. "But enough about me. Tell me about your families that are coming!"

"Well, I got Skipper and Sparky." Sky said. "They adopted me as a kid. Dusty's coming up too, but Chug and Dottie are staying back in town. They're already planning their Thanksgivings. But Dusty is bringing Ishani with him."

"His girlfriend?" Harley asked.

"Just don't tell him I said 'girlfriend.'" Sky said. "It'll drive him crazy, and that's my job."

"What about you, Harley?" Katherine asked.

"Most of my family is busy finishing up tourist season." Harley said. "But the ones who are coming up are Mater, Holley, Sheriff, and Lightning. They promised to record the play and show it to everyone back home."

"This is going to be so fun!" Sky said excitedly. "I just wish they'd get here already!"

"We still have several hours until the show starts." Harley said. "Just be patient."

"I keep telling her that."

The girls looked up to see Blade, Finn, Leland, and Nick had arrived. "Finn!" Harley skated over and hugged the Aston Martin. "What are you doing here?"

"Leland convinced me to come see the show." Finn said. "Said it wouldn't be suspicious if I told people I was your Partner."

Harley laughed, hugging him again. "Well I'm glad you could make it out. Any word on everyone else?"

"Mater called and said they'd be here any minute now." Finn said.

"Mater…..Mater….." Sky thought for a moment. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

A loud horn sounded across the way, making most of them jump. "Speak of the rusted devil." Finn chuckled.

"Harley!" Mater's excited voice called.

"Mater!" Harley squealed, skating off to the amusement of everyone else.

"That them?" Blade asked, looking to the quartet of cars Harley began talking to.

"Indeed." Finn nodded. He gestured to the Mercury police cruiser. "That's Sheriff, Harley's legal guardian. The racecar is Lightning McQueen, as you might already know. The tow truck is Mater, and the lovely lady beside him is Holley Shiftwell. She's a co-worker of mine and Mater's beau."

"Wait a minute." Nick blinked in surprise. "The Jaguar and the tow truck are…a couple?"

"Oh yes." Finn nodded. "I hear Mater's trying to ask for her tyre in marriage."

Nick's jaw dropped. Even Blade looked surprise. "Dang." Sky said. "The tow truck's got game."

Harley and her family finally came over, and Harley introduced everyone. Mater squinted at Sky. "Haven't we met before?"

"I think so." Sky nodded. "I just can't seem to remember where."

"Are your folks comin' too?" Sheriff asked.

"Yeah, my Dad and Sparky." Sky confirmed. "And my friend Dusty and his girlfriend Ishani." She looked to her phone. "They were supposed to be here ten minutes ago." She shrugged.

"Well, I'm sure it will be a pleasure to meet them." Holley said. "Harley has told us much about you and your Partner."

"Are ya really a firefighter?" Mater asked Blade excitedly.

Blade nodded, a trace of a proud smile on his lips. "I work up at Piston Peak National Park."

"Cool!" Mater yipped. "Ya know, I was a firetruck once."

"Really?" Blade asked, his tone clearly showing how much he didn't believe that.

Mater didn't catch on. "Oh yeah. Good job, but I'm better at da towin'."

"I see." Blade nodded, casting a look to Harley. She just shrugged a little in response.

Sky jumped a little when she heard her phone ring. "Hello? Hey Dusty! Where the heck are you guys? How could you get lost? You have a GPS. Well, did I or did I not tell you to get that checked out with Dottie?" Everyone else stifled their laughs at the conversation. Sky looked around. "Okay I'm looking….I'm looking…..I don't see you…..ah, there you are! Okay, turn around. No, no, no! The other way. There you are!"

Everyone else followed Sky's gaze to a group of vehicles making their way over: Skipper, Sparky, Dusty, and Ishani. "Sorry we're late!" Dusty called. "We got lost on the way and it took forever to find our way around the campus."

"I told you to call me when you got here and I'd give you directions." Sky rolled her eyes.

Mater suddenly gasped. "Hey! I 'member you two!"

"Hey there, Mater!" Sparky greeted cheerily, his tone mixed with surprise.

"Hi Sparky! Hi Mr. The Skipper!" Mater returned the happy greeting.

Skipper chuckled. "Well if it isn't our favorite flying tow truck. You're looking well."

"Flying tow truck?" Finn repeated.

Sky's eyes widened in realization. "Of course! Now I remember! You were Dad's first and only flight school student."

"That's right!" Mater nodded proudly.

"So you _weren't_ making that up?" Harley asked Mater incredulously.

"You wouldn't teach me to race when I asked, but you taught a _tow truck_ how to fly?" Dusty said in exasperation.

"Long story. I'll tell ya later." Skipper said dismissively. Dusty rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath.

Katherine checked her watch. "Sky, Harley, we ought to get back into the theater. We have to get ready for the second show."

"Okay. We'll see you guys after the show!" Sky waved to the group as she, Harley, and Katherine made their way back to the theater. Sky walked beside Harley. "So was that Mater guy really a firefighter once upon a time?"

Harley shrugged. "Mater tells a lot of stories."

* * *

Lightning and Dusty immediately began talking about their racing careers and the things they admired about each other's style of racing. A good portion of their conversation revolved around their mentors. But once the show started, everyone turned their attention to their girls. Mater snorted when he tried to stifle his laughs; tough tomboy Harley could pull off acting like a proper British lady, but she looked awfully silly with that golden blonde wig over her hair. Hearing her sing wasn't new for her family, but they admired how well she met the vocal requirements for playing Glinda. Once Dusty saw Sky in all that green makeup, he knew it would be something he'd hold against her for years to come. Amongst all this, the group was awed by the girls' talent.

"Savor this moment, everyone." Dusty said during intermission. They had just heard Sky sing "Defying Gravity" with spectacular results. "This may be one of the few times you'll hear Sky sing."

"It's such a shame she doesn't do it more often." Ishani said. "Her voice is beautiful."

"Maybe she'll learn to open up more after this." Sparky shrugged.

Blade wasn't sure about that. Music was one of those things that Sky kept close to her heart. It was her way of handling and expressing her emotions, and that wasn't something she liked to share. But she had surprised them before.

At the end of the show, Sky felt a mix of emotions. Part of her wanted to soar through the air from excitement. The other part wanted to collapse from all the hard work. She joined in with the rest of the cast and crew as they cheered and whooped and made their way to the lobby to see their parents. Sky pulled Harley and Katherine aside.

"This was so awesome." Sky breathed.

"Amazing." Harley agreed, pulling her wig off and setting her tiara onto her brunette locks.

"Incredible." Katherine nodded.

"I've been thinking about something." Sky said. "This entire school experience has felt a lot like college. But I don't want it to end with us parting ways and never seeing each other again. So we need to make sure we keep in touch when this is all over. When we're done with school and the mission and everything that has to do with APS, let's keep in touch and stay friends."

"I absolutely agree." Harley said without hesitation.

Katherine felt her eyes water, but she blinked the wetness away. "You two are the greatest friends anyone could ask for. I would be a fool to just forget about you."

The three of them giggled softly, sharing a warm group hug.

* * *

Dusty and Lightning decided to treat everyone to dinner to congratulate the girls, and they even invited Katherine and her parents to join them. The entire meal was spent talking and laughing, and Harley even commented to Finn that it seemed like one big family.

Throughout the dinner, Sky noticed Dusty and Ishani kept locking eyes and laughing quietly. They had these grins on their lips that appeared borderline mischievous. She scooted a little closer to Dusty. "Okay, Crophopper. What's with the smiles and the giggles?"

"I don't giggle." Dusty rolled his eyes.

"Come on, give." Sky urged. "What's going on?"

Dusty's smile grew. "Well, something very exciting happened recently and I'm still psyched about it."

"Well don't keep me in the dark." Sky said, scooting her chair closer. "What happened that was so exciting?"

Dusty made sure everyone else still talked, and he whispered in Sky's ear. Sky listened carefully, and her eyes widened as she gasped.

"You're kidding!" Sky squealed quietly.

"Shh!" Dusty hissed. "Nobody else knows."

"Then tell everyone here! Right now!" Sky whispered.

"I'm still finding a good time to tell." Dusty shrugged. "Maybe later."

"No way! Right now!" Sky urged. "Come on, this is a good time!" Dusty shrugged, and then jumped when Sky began tapping her knife against her water glass. The sound made everyone at their table pause in their conversations and look to her. Sky smirked. "Ladies and gentlemen, Dusty has an awesome announcement to make and if he doesn't tell it to you right now then I will."

"You wouldn't." Dusty narrowed his eyes.

"Try me." Sky challenged with a playful smirk.

Dusty laughed. "Okay, okay. Well, for the past several weeks, Ishani and I have been visiting each other's hometowns and taking a break from racing until Sky returns from school. While I was in India, I met Ishani's family. Thank Ford, they liked me. Especially her dad." He and Ishani shared a warm smile. "When she came to Propwash Junction, I asked Ishani to marry me."

At least half of the people at the table gasped in shock, and they looked to Ishani.

"I said 'yes.'" Ishani said.

Immediately, everyone congratulated the newly engaged, and Sky gave Ishani a hug. "You know what this means, Skylar?" Ishani said. "You're going to have to decide if you want to be called 'Aunt Skylar' or 'Auntie Sky.'"

Sky's eyes lit up like crystals in the light. "I can't wait to be an aunt! I so call dibs on babysitting!"

"I knew you'd be excited about that." Dusty laughed.

* * *

The next day, Harley discussed a game plan with Sky and Katherine. Since Finn hadn't found anything at Dean Waller's home residence, that just left his vacation home. A new problem arose: where to find it. The mailing address to the vacation home led only to a post office box in town. Finn needed to search elsewhere for the location of the house, and Lacey and Quinn were no help.

"Once we actually find the house, we need a way to keep Dean Waller away from the house so we can search it." Harley said.

"That would require keeping Dean Waller at the school." Sky said. "Doesn't he usually go home around dinnertime or something?"

"And we need to do this under the cover of night or we risk compromising the mission." Harley added.

"I can keep him on the campus." Katherine suggested. "I've been writing about my experiences at APS for a local paper back home. I can ask Dean Waller for an interview, and I'll keep him in his office for maybe an hour?"

"That could work." Harley nodded. "If you can do that, Sky, Finn, and I will sneak into his home and do some snooping."

"Great." Sky nodded. "Good idea, Katherine."

"Thanks." Katherine shrugged. "But it's only worth something if we find that house."

"It'll just take a little research on mine and Finn's end." Harley assured. "No worries."

"How exactly do you find a house if you only have a post office box for a mailing address?" Sky asked.

"House purchase history." Harley said simply.

"Of course." Sky rolled her eyes with a smile. "How could I be so silly?"

* * *

A few days later, Holley managed to track down the vacation house and sent the coordinates to Harley. Sky relayed this information and the plan to Blade, who didn't look very thrilled to hear that Sky was going to sneak into a conspirator's house. But he knew Sky would probably just sneak away if he tried to forbid her from going.

"Just be careful." Blade said as they strolled through the campus. The November night chill made Sky pull her jacket tighter around her.

"I'll be careful." Sky assured. "Harley has got my back."

"Good." Blade nodded.

Sky gave him a friendly shove. "You worry too much."

"No, you just don't worry enough." Blade said with completely seriousness in his tone.

Sky patted Blade's side. "Come on, you know I'll be okay."

Blade sighed. "That won't stop me from worrying. If your father knew about this, he'd blow out his gearbox."

Sky laughed. "Yeah." She and Blade continued their stroll, often glancing up to the starry night sky. Sky continued to smile. "So will you go back to Piston Peak after school's done?"

"Most likely." Blade nodded.

"Do you stay there year-round? You don't go home or anything?" Sky asked.

"Ain't really got a home to go to." Blade shrugged. "Piston Peak is my home."

"Must get lonely sometimes." Sky noted.

"I wouldn't say 'lonely' as much as 'quiet.'" Blade corrected. "Usually it's just me, Maru, Windlifter, and Cabbie. Windlifter goes to see his family from time to time and Cabbie stays with his siblings every other year. Maru has lived on that base longer than most of us. I don't really have anywhere to go. Why leave?"

"There must be someplace you could go." Sky said.

"Like where?" Blade asked.

Sky shrugged. "Propwash Junction?"

Blade paused, forcing Sky to do the same. He looked to her. "What makes you think that?"

Sky shrugged again. "I dunno. It's a nice little town. Good people who care about one another. I was able to make my home there. Maybe you could do the same." She tucked some loose hair behind her ear. "You know, if you wanted to stay somewhere besides Piston Peak for the winter."

Blade stared ahead again. He never really thought about staying somewhere besides Piston Peak. For a moment, he wondered how long Sky had wanted to ask him about staying in Propwash Junction for longer than a short vacation. He had led a somewhat solitary life since Nick's death. Would he really be ready to go back to a more social lifestyle?

"I'll have to think about that." Blade finally said.

Sky nodded with a smile. Then, she looked to the ground. "Blade, do you feel like we're being followed?"

"Glad I wasn't the only one of us feeling it." Blade said in a low tone.

"So what do we do?" Sky asked.

Blade thought for a moment. "Follow my lead." He spoke up to a volume just above normal speaking voice. "If I recall correctly, you have some studying to do, young lady."

Sky instantly caught on. "Yeah, but my exams aren't for a couple more days."

"Every bit helps." Blade said. "No matter how smart you are. Go on, now." They rounded the corner of a building, out of sight. "Get in, quick!" Blade hissed, opening his hoist hatch. Sky hopped in, and Blade shut the door to cast her in darkness. Blade continued on, hoping he'd be able to get Sky safely to the apartment where he stayed. He didn't trust himself to leave her alone now. Blade scanned the area around him with a critical gaze and made sure nobody was around. Most of the students were studying in the library, dorms, and common rooms. The staff returned home. It appeared the campus was deserted. Blade made his way out the front gate and into the forest where he could take off.

Suddenly, a strong force rammed into him and sent the helicopter shooting down the road about a hundred feet before he stopped himself. Blade spun around to see his attacker to be a black pickup truck. Another truck appeared, and the two black vehicles revved their engines threateningly. Blade glared hard, and he remained tense on his landing gear. Sky's head already hurt from when she was thrown to the floor. She tried to open the door of the hoist hatch, but Blade kept the door shut tight. The emergency latch wouldn't work as long as Blade was conscious to keep the door shut.

One of the trucks surged forward, but Blade met him halfway and knocked him aside. Blade could still rival the trucks by weight and size, but the weight difference wouldn't matter if both trucks managed to gang up on him. He ducked out of the way when the other truck came forward, and the two trucks hit each other. One of them ended up dazed, but the other jumped back into the fight. Blade managed to push him aside, and he gave his rotors a spin. The blades scratched the truck's windshield, and he jumped back as he shouted in pain. The second truck had come out of his daze by then, and he rammed into Blade's side. Sky yelped as she was tossed around inside the hoist hatch and grunted every time she hit the wall or floor. She desperately wished Blade would let her out so she could help. But Blade was firm, and he ducked away so he could slam into the pickup truck and pin him against a tree. The two trucks tried to come from either side of Blade, but he simply reversed and let the trucks crash into each other. Blade started up his rotors, ready to fly out of there as fast as possible.

Then, he felt a human hand on his flank. Blade tensed up, ready to spin around and attack, but he seized up and gasped.

"I do apologize. But you're in my way." The human said.

Blade couldn't even turn around to see who spoke to him, and he couldn't identify the voice. He could only register the fact that he wasn't breathing right. An unknown force seemed to wrap around his windpipe, and he gasped and coughed as he tried to get a proper breath in. Sky gently clutched her throat, feeling like someone wrapped their hands around her neck. Blade was being strangled, and the connection carried it through to her, but how could this happen?

"Take him to the old barn in the forest." The unknown human ordered to the trucks. "By the time anyone finds him, it will be too late."

Blade felt his strength dwindling, and darkness crept into his vision. Sky had since collapsed to the floor of the hatch.

They heard loud blasts from gunshots. _BANG! BANG! BANG!_ Blade felt pain erupt throughout his body.

Everything went black.

* * *

 **A/N: Fun fact: when Mater claims he was once a fire truck, that was a reference to one of Mater's Tall Tales.**


	13. Waller's Serum Revealed

**Chapter Thirteen – Waller's Serum Revealed**

Leland looked carefully through the case files, thankful that Harley left them out for him and Nick to read. But when he looked up once more, he noticed Nick again staring out the window as opposed to reading through the files.

"Something wrong?" Leland asked. "You seem rather distracted."

"Just thinking about Blade and Sky." Nick said. "I thought they'd be back from their walk by now."

"I'm sure they're just enjoying the quiet." Leland said.

Nick sighed. "Maybe. I dunno. I'd feel better knowing where they are."

"In that case, I wonder why you didn't join them on their stroll." Leland noted.

"I just wanted them to have a little alone time." Nick explained. "Blade and Sky got this really special bond. A bond that goes beyond their Soul Connection. Giving them time alone helps strengthen that."

"They really do care for one another, don't they?" Leland guessed with a smile. "Similarly to Harley and Finn. Those two fit so well together. It always makes me happy to see they can cure each other's darkness."

"Oh yeah?" Nick asked, a little confused.

"Well, Finn was hurt when I was killed." Leland said. "Harley helps with that. Finn helps Harley by being there when she needs him, similarly to how her father acted."

Nick nodded in understanding. "Yeah. Sky and Blade, though…..sometimes they worry me. Blade already had to watch me get killed. If anything happens to Sky, he'll never forgive himself."

Leland nodded, musing the information. "Grief is a powerful emotion. When we finally find something to help us cope, it can be devastating to lose that coping mechanism."

Nick stared out the window. "If anything happens to either of those two, I'll never forgive myself. I have to find them. Just to make sure. I'd feel better keeping an eye on them."

"Go right ahead." Leland nodded. "It wouldn't hurt to be safe."

* * *

Sky dreamed while she was unconscious. She dreamed she was in a burning forest, and Blade was right in front of her. But when she tried to get closer, something pulled her back. Before her eyes, Blade became consumed by the fire. No matter how much Sky screamed, he wouldn't come back.

Then…..

" _Cuervo?_ Come on, Sky, you gotta wake up. Wake up!"

Sky moaned as someone nudged her, and she forced her eyes to open. She felt cool metal under her hand, and her brain felt like mush in her skull. She groaned, rubbing her eyes and forcing herself to sit up.

"Nick?" Sky murmured.

"You're alive! Oh thank Dodge!" Nick's voice sighed in relief somewhere in front of her.

"Where are you? And where am I?" Sky asked. No light came from anywhere, casting her completely into blackness.

"You're in the hoist hatch still." Nick said. "You and Blade are…..somewhere…but listen! Blade's hurt! He needs help!"

That snapped Sky to attention faster than a caffeine shot. She fumbled around for the emergency lever and forced the door open. She tumbled out and landed on some old hay. As Sky moved around to Blade's front, she noticed they appeared to be in an old barn. The wood was gray with age and moonlight shown through a single window nearby. Sky looked Blade over and her eyes widened in horror to see three bullet holes dangerously close to where his engine rested.

"Is he….." Nick couldn't bear to think about it.

"He's still alive." Sky assured, keeping her hands on Blade's side. "Barely. Give me a minute." She closed her eyes and focused, and a second later she felt her healing abilities go to work. Sky grit her teeth as the bullet wounds cut into her flesh, but she relaxed as the healing session finished. The bullets fell inaudibly into the hay, and Sky moved to Blade's muzzle. She and Nick watched anxiously, waiting for a sign of life. Then, Blade let out a soft moan, and his eyes blinked halfway open.

"Sky?" he breathed.

Sky sighed in relief, hugging her Partner. "Right here. You're okay."

Blade hadn't felt this foggy or pained since his crash two years ago. But he steadily felt his senses coming to life again and his focus sharpened. "You…..all right?"

Sky laughed softly. "Always in Chief Mode, huh?"

Blade just cracked a smile and gave her a small nuzzle. Nick smiled at the sight. "Man, you have _got_ to stop scaring us like that."

Blade rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He definitely began feeling better, standing up straighter on his landing gear and looking around. "Where are we?"

"Some sort of barn out in the forest." Nick explained. "I came looking for you guys but you were being loaded into a truck. I had to wait until those creeps left before I could try and help."

"Good call." Blade assured.

"Yeah. If they had known Blade wasn't dead yet, they would've finished the job." Sky said.

"If they had known you were still with me, they wouldn't have attacked in the first place." Blade added.

"What?" Sky and Nick asked simultaneously.

"They didn't attack me until I was outside of the school. By then, you had 'left' me." Blade explained. "They were waiting for us to separate."

"But why?" Sky asked. "And how did they strangle you?"

"I didn't feel anything." Blade thought back to the fight. "At least, I didn't feel cloth or anything. I just couldn't breathe."

"Waller sent them." Nick realized. "He sent those guys after you because you kept hanging around _Cuervo_ so much."

"You think so?" Sky asked.

"It makes the most sense." Nick assured.

Sky groaned, running her fingers through her hair. Blade nudged her. "Hey, it's all right."

"It is so _not_ all right, Blade Ranger!" Sky snapped. "I never should've let you stay for so long! You almost got killed because of me."

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Blade snapped. "I chose to stay because I didn't want to leave you alone when I knew you were in potential danger."

"But I can handle myself." Sky insisted. "What if something had happened to you? It would have been my fault!"

Blade and Sky stared at each other, one intense look locked onto another. Nick looked back and forth between the two. "It is incredible that you two can care so much for each other, and yet you argue over the silliest of things."

"We do not!" Blade and Sky argued simultaneously.

"Yeah you do!" Nick insisted. "You're so worried about protecting each other. Did either of you ever think about how the other one feels on the subject?" His gaze softened. "I don't want to see you two drift apart because one was freaking out over the other and it caused a fight. It's happened before. Can't we try and avoid it happening again?"

Blade and Sky looked down, not looking towards each other. They didn't speak for a long moment.

"Since when is he the smart one?" Blade muttered.

"I know, right?" Sky huffed.

Nick blinked, and then let out a full-on laugh. Blade and Sky grinned a little as well. Nick sighed. "Okay. Game plan time. You two hang out here for a minute. I'll see if there's a road leading back towards town or something."

"Keep an eye out for anyone suspicious." Sky said. Nick nodded, and he spirited away through the roof. Sky and Blade relaxed as much as they could. Sky leaned against Blade's side. Her eyes traveled to the Soul Connection Thread, and she held up her hand to touch it. The thread felt like a feather, appearing to float just above her skin. Sky sighed softly.

"Why do you blame yourself for this?" Blade asked.

Sky stared out the window. "When Max passed away, I didn't go to his funeral. I was too scared to see a dead body. So I stayed home and stared at the fire helmet he gave me. After you saved me and I woke up from my and Dusty's crash, I thought back to your crash from the mine. I didn't really think about it when I was helping Maru in the garage, but when I think about it, I can't stop for hours on end. You were _dying._ " She inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Chrysler, you were freaking dying. I had never been in the presence of someone who was so close to death. It scared me, and I don't want to experience that again." She touched the Soul Connect Thread again, wrapping her fingers around the glowing Thread. It felt like a down feather. "I don't want to watch you come so close to dying. Never again."

Blade let her words soak in. "And I don't want to watch another friend, another person of my family, get killed." He sighed. "But we're firefighters. That's just something we're going to have to get used to."

Sky rubbed her arm. "Are you used to it yet?"

"Not yet." Blade admitted. "But we can certainly keep trying. We'll get there."

Sky nodded. "I like that idea. I'll try if you do."

Blade grinned a little. "Deal."

"Hey guys!"

Blade and Sky nearly jumped through the roof when Nick popped up in front of them. Sky put her hand to her racing heart. "That was impossibly fast."

"Oh I didn't have to search for long!" Nick said with his smile a mile wide. "Guess who I found?"

"Sky?"

Sky blinked in surprise. "Harley? Is that you?"

A familiar brunette appeared in the doorway of the stall, her pistol brandished. "You're here!" Harley sighed in relief. "Thank Chrysler!"

"How did you find us?" Blade asked as he, Sky, and Nick followed Harley out of the barn. Blade and Sky were surprised again to see Leland, Finn, and Katherine waiting outside.

"Katherine witnessed the attack on Chief Ranger." Finn explained. "She came to me and Harley and we came looking for you."

"Then Nick found us and led us here." Harley added. "What happened?"

"We think Waller sent some thugs to separate me from Blade." Sky explained. "But they didn't realize I was still with him."

"I'm just happy you're still alive." Harley said. "We should get you guys back to the school. As for you, Chief Ranger, I would feel better if Leland and Nick kept an eye on you."

"They can relay any information to me in case of another attack." Finn offered.

"I don't need to be babied." Blade said with mild irritation.

" _Hermano,_ I would feel better knowing someone kept an eye on you for safety's sake." Nick said. Blade sighed and rolled his eyes a little, but agreed.

"Come on." Katherine urged. "Let's get back to the school."

Finn led the way, he and Blade keeping their lights on to guide them down the path towards the main road. They heard animal sounds often, but it helped to ease their nerves when they couldn't hear anything.

"Does anyone else think this forest is rather spooky at night?" Harley noted.

"I heard the place is haunted." Sky said.

"No comment from us." Nick joked. Leland chuckled.

"Come now." Finn scolded. "There is nothing in this forest that could possibly scare us."

A loud screech echoed in the night air, and everyone jumped. Harley leaped into Sky's arms. Nick went to Blade's side so quickly he almost knocked the living helicopter over. Leland shot forward and accidentally slammed into Finn's bumper.

Katherine giggled. "It is only an owl." She pointed, and everyone saw a great horned owl up in a tree nearby.

"I wasn't scared." Nick scoffed, moving a few feet from Blade's side. "Not at all."

"Of course not." Harley cleared her throat. Sky laughed and set her down.

Sky narrowed her eyes. "Hey guys. What's that?"

"Not funny, Raven." Blade droned.

"No, really. Look." Sky pointed off to one side. A few lights shone through the trees, solid and rectangular in shape. The group moved farther down the path to a clearer spot in the trees, and they finally saw the source of the lights: a mansion-like house on a nearby hill.

"Harley, what are our coordinates?" Finn asked.

Harley opened her holographic computer. "34 degrees 34 minutes north, -107 degrees 62 minutes west." Her eyes widened a bit. "That's Dean Waller's vacation house."

"Well then let's go in!" Sky urged.

"Whoa, whoa!" Blade stopped Sky from going anywhere. "I just got shot and the two of us were dumped into a forest to die. Do we really want to test our luck this evening?"

"When Waller finds out you're still alive, he'll become more protective of his work." Sky protested. "We need to investigate now and get that evidence so he can't slip away."

"Sky's right." Harley agreed. "We have to strike while we have the chance. Finn? What do you think?"

Finn nodded. "I agree. Here is what we'll do. Chief Ranger, take Katherine back to your apartment and stay there until Harley and I can escort her to the academy dorm. Nick and Leland, stay with them and come to us if anything happens. Harley, Skylar, and I will investigate the house."

"Roger that, Finn." Leland nodded.

"Just be careful." Blade said, mostly to Sky.

"Right." Sky nodded. She, Harley, and Finn began moving towards the house. Blade started up his rotors and Katherine pulled herself and her folded wheelchair into the hoist hatch.

"You all right, Katherine?" Blade asked, noticing the woman seemed somber.

"Yes." Katherine sighed. "I only wish I could be of more help."

"I don't feel much better hiding." Blade admitted. "But you're more help than I've been for this case."

"Yeah. If you hadn't told Harley and Finn about what happened, it would've taken ages to get Blade and Sky back to the school." Nick said.

"And because of you, we found the house." Leland added. "You are more help than you realize."

Katherine smiled softly. "Thank you." She rubbed her leg. "It's just one of those times when I wish I did not have a disability."

Blade, Nick, and Leland fell silent as they flew back to Alamo. _You don't need a perfectly functioning body to help people._ Leland thought. He wanted to say that. But the words became caught in his throat, and he wondered if it would even help Katherine feel better.

Words only really had power when they were believed in.

* * *

Harley, Sky, and Finn stayed deep in the shadows of the trees as they made their way towards the house. The closer they came, the more lights within the house went out. By the time they reached the trees closest to the doors, Waller was in the middle of locking his front door. Harley pressed a button on her watch and listened closely in her earpiece, eavesdropping on Waller as he talked on his cell phone.

"Yes, of course. I understand." Waller said. "I would be concerned as well if I heard gunshots. I'm coming over to the school right now to assess the situation. Yes, I'm getting in the taxi now. I'll be there as soon as I can." He hung up and climbed into the taxi parked in his driveway. The taxi pulled away, but Finn didn't give the go ahead until the taxi's headlights disappeared.

"I can tell already that no car is going to fit in this house." Harley said as they observed the large double doors. It was a surprise to the trio. Not very often did one find a house built to be only human-friendly.

"Then I will stay out and watch for Waller." Finn suggested. "You two get in, get as much information as you can, and then get out of there."

"Roger that." Harley nodded. She picked the lock, slipped inside with Sky behind her, and locked the door after them. Finn moved back to the shadows of the trees, far enough down the driveway that he could give the girls enough time to get out.

Sky and Harley looked around and saw a marble spiral staircase, a crystal chandelier, and a rug stretching across the hardwood floors. Paintings graced the walls and archways led to more elaborately decorated rooms.

"What kind of money do you get from being a school dean?" Sky murmured.

"Tell me about it." Harley agreed. "But let's focus. If you were a madman doing research, where would you put it?"

"I would think a guy like him would have a study." Sky suggested. "Upstairs, where it would be harder to find."

"Good call." Harley nodded. She led the way as the girls jogged upstairs, careful to stay quiet and to not touch anything. After searching several rooms, they found a study area with a large desk, a fireplace, and several bookshelves against the wall filled with books. Harley turned on the light and made her way to the desk. "You start looking through the books for anything interesting. I'll rife through the desk."

Sky nodded and began browsing the bookshelf. Harley opened the drawers of the desk, fingering the files she found. Sky pulled down a few books, but nothing raised any red flags. "I'll tell you this much. The guy really liked his sciences. I got books here on anatomy, chemistry, genealogy, you name it."

"Not much luck in the desk." Harley reported ruefully. "I'm finding only documents related to the school. There's even a book of expenses, but nothing really interesting."

Sky sighed in frustration. "There has to be more here."

Harley looked to the bookshelves, analyzing the rows of texts. The gears in her brain turned like the works in a clock. "Some of the books are missing."

"How do you know?" Sky asked, looking to the shelves.

"Waller is an organized man." Harley said, running her fingers along the spines of the books. "He wouldn't just leave some books tilted on the shelves. He's taken some down, temporarily, and hasn't put them back yet." She paused when her fingers brushed against a book spine that felt much too smooth. She pulled on the top, and one of the set of shelves swung inward to reveal a hidden passage. Harley smirked triumphantly. "Secret room behind the bookshelf. So cliché."

Harley activated a flashlight on her glasses, shining the light on the path ahead of her and Sky as they descended down a metal spiral staircase. At the bottom of the stairs, they found a door. Harley unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a basement-like area. Tables stood strewn about the room, each one covered in a variety of items. Two of the tabletops had been completely covered with books and notes. Another table had posters of diagrams depicting human anatomy, from their nervous system to their brains. Three tables had been pushed together end to end for a series of beakers, test tubes, and other chemistry items with an array of liquids, gels, and unidentifiable ingredients.

"I see evidence." Sky said in a singsong voice.

"Start taking pictures with your phone." Harley ordered. "Details are key. Take as many as you can. We'll forward them to Holley." Sky nodded, and she and Harley began snapping pictures.

As they did, Sky noticed something about the books and notes on the tables. "Harley, these are all related to psyche humans and genetics."

"You're right." Harley agreed, staring at the diagrams. "It looks like Waller was searching for the genetic code that gives psyche humans their powers."

Sky took another look at the notes, and then she glanced to the chemistry setup nearby. "I think he found it. But then look at this formula." Harley came over to look at the paper Sky gestured to. "See? He's identifying ways to block the genetic code for psyche human powers."

Harley analyzed the notes, and then moved to the beakers and test tubes. "He has found different chemical compounds that can disable the genetic coding that basically makes a psyche human a psyche human." After a moment, a realization dawned on the girls. "Dean Waller isn't trying to steal psych-man powers for himself."

"He created a way to block the genetic coding for their abilities." Sky finished. "If he blocks or even destroys that coding, a psych-man wouldn't be able to use those powers to make connections with vehicles or utilize their Soul Connect."

Harley's thoughts ran a mile a minute. "But why? None of this research pertains to a power transfer or a way to give oneself psych-man powers. Why take them if you're not going to use them?"

"Discrimination?" Sky shrugged. "But then, that wouldn't explain why he opened a school for psyche humans to improve their powers."

"So what's the motive?" Harley asked. "Why did Dean Waller create this serum?"

" _Mayday! Mayday! Harley, come in!"_

Harley jumped. "Finn? What is it?"

" _Waller returned early! He's coming up the road now! You've got to get out of there!"_ Finn warned.

"Roger that!" Harley said. She looked to Sky. "Waller's back. We gotta go _now._ " The girls hurried away, turning off the light and locking the door. They scrambled up the stairs to the bookcase door and shut it before they sprinted towards the front door. But they only got to the top of the stairs when they heard Waller's footsteps coming towards the door. Harley pulled Sky back, and they hid behind the corner of the wall. They listened as Waller stepped through the front door.

"Always forgetting something." Waller chuckled, stepping off to one side. The girls heard the jingling of keys. "I'd forget my own head if it wasn't attached to my shoulders." He started towards the door again, and he opened it. But then, his cell phone rang. "Hello? Yes, I'm on my way now. I had to go back for my office keys." A pause. "False alarm, huh? Are you sure? I want to make sure my school is still safe, what with the students finishing finals and all." Another pause. "Very well. But I would appreciate it if my time was not wasted in the future." Waller hung up the phone, and he walked outside. Seconds later, Sky and Harley heard the taxi drive off and Waller walked back into the house. He put his keys on a nearby table and walked into another room.

"What do we do?" Sky whispered.

"Just let me think." Harley whispered back. She turned on her radio. "Finn? Negative, we got a problem. Waller's in the house and he's not leaving again. Don't worry, we'll get out. Just be ready to create a diversion if necessary." Harley looked out again. Waller walked past the door and into another room. Harley listened closely and picked up the sound of running water and crockery clinking. _No doubt he's about to sit down for dinner. If he stays down there, it won't be safe to leave for hours. We have to leave now while we have the chance._ Harley looked back towards the study. "Follow me."

Sky obeyed, but part of her wanted to question Harley for going back into the study. Harley quietly opened a window, and Sky's eyes widened a little. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"We're getting out of here before we get into a heap of trouble." Harley said. She poked her head out the window. "There's a tree nearby. I'll throw a grappling hook and we'll swing over."

"And what are the odds we break our necks?" Sky sassed quietly.

Harley didn't answer. She pulled a small grappling hook gun from her belt and shot the hook. Before Sky could protest any further, Harley swung over and landed cat-like on the branch of the tree. She reeled in the hook and line and tossed the gun to Sky. Sky caught the gun rather clumsily, and she looked back and forth between the gun and Harley. There was at least ten feet of space between her and the tree. If she didn't hold onto that line tight, she'd surely fall and break something. But Harley kept motioning for her to come over in a feverish manner. Sky groaned, but shot the hook. It caught onto a branch above Harley, and Sky gave the line a few tugs to make sure it was secure. Sky exhaled softly, then jumped out the window and swung over. But she accidentally let her legs dangle, and she couldn't pull them up in time to cushion her landing. Harley winced as Sky face-planted into the tree, and Sky yelped as her grip slipped from the gun. She hit the ground a little hard, but managed to roll out of it to prevent serious injury.

"Are you okay?" Harley whispered. Sky only groaned and held out a thumbs-up. She rolled upwards, going slowly to make sure she didn't break anything. Harley carefully climbed/jumped down, and she took Sky's wrist to practically drag her into the forest. They went deep enough into the trees to avoid detection, and then continued to run with Harley leading the way.

"Harley." Sky whispered. "Harley!"

"What?" Harley demanded.

"You're hurting my wrist." Sky said.

Harley paused, and Sky ran into her. Harley looked to her hand, still firmly clasped around Sky's wrist. She let go. "Sorry."

Sky shrugged. "It's fine. Sorry I screwed up our getaway."

"Nah, you didn't screw it up." Harley assured. "But I will admit: that was awfully funny."

Sky rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's get back to the academy."

* * *

Harley and Sky gave their findings to Finn, who forwarded the information to Holley for analysis. Holley confirmed Sky and Harley's theory: Waller had created a serum that blocks psyche human powers and prevents their use. There was no evidence to show that Waller was trying to give himself these powers, leaving a lack of motive for his actions. But the photos were enough proof for C.H.R.O.M.E. to take action and investigate.

While they waited for the evidence to come in, the girls continued with their exams. Finn often checked in on Blade to make sure he was safe, much to the helicopter's annoyance. But Nick helped keep him calm while also keeping an eye on him. Sky, Harley, and Katherine found it a little hard now and then to hide their excitement. The mission was almost done. Soon, they'd be able to bring Waller to justice. Sky's only regret was that they still didn't know a way to cure the psyche humans who lost their powers. If there was a way, that is.

Sky, Harley, and Katherine met up with Rachel, Benny, Serena, Emmet, and Elliot on the second to last day of finals week for one more lunch together. As they began to leave to continue studying and packing, Harley asked for Katherine and Sky to stay behind.

"What's up?" Sky asked.

Harley looked around. Their friends already left, and the outdoor eating area was mostly empty. Still, she leaned in closer to Sky and Katherine. "We have a problem. Dean Waller is on to us."

Sky and Katherine snapped to attention. "What do you mean?" Sky asked.

"Finn sent a team of agents to Waller's house." Harley explained. "But when they got there, the area where we found Waller's research was completely deserted. He must've figured out what happened and moved his stuff."

"But you have the pictures of the evidence." Katherine protested.

"That's not enough." Harley said.

"How can it not be enough?" Sky snapped.

"Just listen to me!" Harley hissed. She looked around again. "Look, Waller is going to be playing it safe. He's going to be much more attentive of his actions now that he knows his attempt to get rid of Blade failed. So we need to lay low for a while. When Waller gets more comfortable and lets his guard down, he won't suspect us when we strike again."

"Are we sure about this?" Sky asked. "What if Waller tries to use the serum on somebody else?"

"He wouldn't dare." Harley assured. "Not when he knows that somebody is watching him. C.H.R.O.M.E. won't be taking their eyes off his movements, even when they try to stay subtle." She locked eyes with each of her friends. "I need you to trust me on this, okay? We'll pick up again in January when school starts again at the Academy. Can you two do me the biggest favor and just go about your normal lives until then?"

Katherine and Sky thought for a moment. They hated the idea of waiting, but they couldn't risk slipping up either. Harley had the most experience in all this, and they had no reason to doubt her.

"Very well." Katherine nodded.

Sky sighed. "Fine."

Harley smiled. "Thank you. Really."

* * *

Blade gave in to Sky's request to fly home in the passenger jet with her. He hated the idea of flying via something besides his own ability, but he didn't want to leave Sky's side until she was safely with Dusty at the Fresno-Piston Peak Airport. Blade had been tense ever since Nick and Sky told him about Harley's orders to lay low until Waller became comfortable again. It meant that Sky could still be in danger, and the thought of something besides a wildfire or a race putting Sky's life at risk made Blade anxious. He didn't tell Sky, though, in an attempt to prevent her from becoming concerned over him. Instead, he and Nick talked pleasantly with Sky on the plane ride back to California.

"So will you go back to racing when you get home?" Blade asked.

"Racing season will be finishing soon." Sky answered. "But I'm sure Dusty and I will do some racing before the holidays. You know us."

Blade nodded in confirmation. He understood very well Dusty and Sky's passion for racing. "Anything exciting happen in Propwash Junction during the holidays?"

"Yeah." Sky nodded, casually flipping through a magazine as she talked. "There's a big tree that's lit, and we have a party on Christmas Eve. It's pretty fun. You should come out and see it sometime."

Blade suddenly got an idea. "How about this year?"

Sky looked up from her magazine. "What?"

"I'll take you up on that offer." Blade said. "To come out and see Propwash Junction. What if I stayed there for the winter?"

Sky stared at Blade in shock. A smile started to creep onto her lips. "Are you serious?"

"If you'll have me." Blade shrugged.

"Of course!" Sky nodded excitedly. "Absolutely! I'll ask Brodi to keep a room open for you! When do you want to come by?"

"Give me about a week." Blade said. "I'll make sure things are handled at Piston Peak. Then I'll fly over."

Sky nearly squealed from excitement. She hugged Blade. "This is going to be awesome! Thank you, Blade."

Blade chuckled. "No problem." Sky pulled away, talking excitedly about the things Blade would see while in Propwash Junction. Blade nodded and smiled, amused by Sky's excited attitude. _And now I can keep track of you. If Waller wants to get to you, he's going to have to go through me._

* * *

 **A/N: There won't be a lot of action in the next chapter, so I may update that tomorrow!**


	14. Maru's Fear

**Chapter Fourteen – Maru's Fear**

The weeks passed.

Sky kept in touch with Harley, Katherine, and Rachel and her bandmates. When she returned to Propwash Junction, she pretended that school was a blast and she would be happy to do it again as long as it didn't interfere with racing or fire season. But Sky decided to pull Dusty, Skipper, and Sparky aside to talk to them in private, and she revealed to them everything that happened at the Academy for Psyche Students. Skipper immediately went up in arms, but Sky assured him everything would be fine. Skipper seemed to understand, but he refused to let Sky leave Propwash Junction without someone she knew. Blade arrived early in December, surprisingly with Maru in tow. But Maru assured that he had a friend watching the base in case anything happened. Blade and Maru were welcomed warmly, and Dusty assured they could stay well into New Year's if they wished.

But nobody knew Maru's real reason for coming with Blade to Propwash Junction.

"I don't know, Blade." Maru said as the two of them lounged in their hotel room. "Sky's got a lot of folks ready to raise some hell if Waller threatens her."

"I just think an extra pair of eyes would help." Blade said.

Maru sighed, looking up from his newspaper. "Blade, you're doing it again."

"Doing what?" Blade asked.

"Overreacting and putting a bunch of pressure on yourself." Maru said. "You used to do it a lot when Nick died."

"This is not—"

"Don't give me that slag! This is _exactly_ like what happened with Nick."

Blade glared at the floor. "Is it so wrong to want to protect someone I care about?"

"Of course not." Maru said. "I came because I want to help keep Sky safe too. But I also came to keep an eye on you. Sky can't replace Nick, but you care about her just as much as you cared about him." Even though Blade didn't look up, Maru could tell he listened to the forklift's words. So he continued. "I know you're afraid to lose her. The last thing I want to do is watch Sky get seriously hurt. But you have got to stay calm. You can protect her without hanging over her shoulder."

"I feel like there's a deeper point here, Maru." Blade droned.

Maru's gazed softened a degree. "The deeper point is that I don't want to see you destroy yourself again. You can't keep putting that kind of pressure on yourself."

Blade sighed, and he relaxed on his landing gear. There was silence for a moment. "All right, Maru. I can try."

Maru grinned, going back to his newspaper. "That's all I ask."

* * *

January arrived, and so did a snowstorm that forced most of the residents to spend half the day clearing the roads. It was a good thing they did. Ishani arrived at Propwash Junction so she and Dusty could plan their wedding. Sky was more than happy to help, and the girls could often be found talking for hours on end about different subjects from the wedding to Sky's classes at the Academy for Psyche Students.

"And a couple days ago, I got this certificate in the mail." Sky held up said certificate for Ishani to see.

"'For completion of one term at the Academy for Psyche Students.'" Ishani read. "Oh, Skylar. How impressive!"

"Well, I guess." Sky shrugged humbly. "There are a lot of psych-mans who go for longer. I'm just glad I was able to work with my powers a little more."

"I'm happy for you." Ishani said. "You know, psyche humans are held in high regard in India."

"Really?" Sky asked excitedly.

"Oh yes." Ishani nodded. "For hundreds of years, they were renowned as shamans for villages. Their powers made them valuable to the communities of India in the past and today."

"That's so cool." Sky breathed. "I wish I knew more about my powers. Where they came from and all that. Which is why I went to the school. I wanted to learn more about my abilities, and maybe even strengthen my Soul Connection."

"Has it helped?" Ishani asked. "Do you see a difference?"

Sky looked up as Blade passed them a short distance away, the helicopter chatting with Maru. Blade glanced over and gave a nod in greeting. Sky waved back. "Yeah. It definitely feels stronger. Then again, Blade and I have a pretty solid bond."

Ishani giggled. "Trust me, I know. It's one of the things Dusty and I have talked about from time to time. Even he is amazed by how much you love your Partner."

Sky shrugged. "Well, he's family. No matter what anyone says, Blade is a part of my family and that's never going to change." Her smile shrunk. "But…..I've never really told him that outright. I don't know how to tell him, I guess. He's not exactly the most open with his emotions."

"You have your moments when you do the same thing." Ishani reminded her. "Give him time. You know him best, so you'll be able to figure out how to tell him you care."

Sky's smile grew again. "Thanks, Ishani. Now back to wedding plans! What are you thinking about for flowers?"

* * *

Sparky made sure nobody was around before ushering Maru inside the hanger. "Thanks for seeing me on such short notice." Maru said.

"No problem." Sparky assured. "Anything that involves Sky is important to us." Skipper nodded in agreement. He knew Sky would be annoyed if they started talking about her like this again, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. She and Blade were currently taking an aerial tour around the area, and would no doubt be out for at least an hour.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Skipper asked.

"It's about Sky and Blade." Maru explained. "I came here to keep an eye on your kid, but I also wanted to watch out for Blade. He's getting anxious."

"Honestly, so am I." Skipper admitted. "Knowing some maniac is after my daughter doesn't exactly sit well."

"Try being in Blade's tires." Maru scoffed.

"What do you mean?" Sparky asked.

Maru sighed, wondering where to start. "I was the first one to hear about the Soul Connection between Blade and Sky. I've seen the connection myself, both the Thread and the emotional bond between them. But every time I see those two in tense situations that didn't involve fire, I get worried. Can you think of a time when Sky lost someone close to her? As in a situation where she might blame herself?"

Skipper and Sparky thought about it. "Not really." Sparky said. "But there was this one moment during Sky and Dusty's first Wings Around the Globe Rally. They were flying over the Pacific and Sky tried to use her powers to help Dusty get above the storm. She just didn't want him to get hurt, I guess."

"It didn't work out too well for either of them." Skipper couldn't help flashbacking to the sight of his daughter's limp and nearly lifeless body, soaked from the ocean and rain. The memory terrified him even today. "Sky couldn't stop them from crashing in the ocean, and they nearly drowned."

Maru nodded in thought. "That's it….."

"Maru, what's wrong?" Sparky asked. "Why are you so worried about Sky and Blade?"

"Hey, don't get me wrong. Those two fit together like pieces of a puzzle." Maru said. "But even though they've helped each other, they sometimes hurt each other without knowing it. Blade used to have this buddy named Nick. The two of them were like brothers. But Nick was killed in an accident that Blade couldn't stop, and he blamed himself for that for years. Along comes Sky, who helps him heal and even forgive himself for what happened even when it wasn't his fault. But, even without realizing it, I think Blade is replacing Nick with Sky. He's taken that brotherly bond he had with Nick and applied it to Sky. The problem is he's so freaked out about losing that bond again that he's determined to protect his Partner even at the cost of his own life."

"But Sky would never let that happen." Skipper said, catching on to Maru's train of thought. "Because she cares about him too much, and she's afraid to fail in keeping him safe."

"When and where was it written that these two had to have those responsibilities?" Sparky demanded.

"That's just it." Maru said. "They put that job upon themselves, because they don't know how to deal with their fear of losing one another. We need a way to tell or show them that what they're doing now is just going to hurt them in the long run."

"Yeah, but is this the best time to talk about it?" Skipper reminded him. "Waller is still out there."

"And Blade and Sky will still be on edge until he's caught." Sparky said. "That's why they're so freaked out right now."

Maru sighed. "Well, I guess we could wait until this all blows over. I just don't want to see either one of them hurting themselves. Blade deserves better than that, and I know Sky does too."

"We'll find a time and way to talk to them." Sparky assured. "For now, let's just leave them be."

* * *

Dusty wasn't exactly sure how he would go about this, but he had to say something. If he waited too long, he might slip up and reveal that he knows. So he gathered his courage and rolled out to Sky's favorite spot on the cliff next to Skipper's hanger.

He cleared his throat. "Hey Nick."

Nick jumped and spun around, his eyes wide when he saw Dusty behind him. "Uh…hey…" He hadn't realized he wasn't invisible. Why didn't he pay closer attention? Only, he thought for sure he had stayed invisible when he came out to stargaze.

"Don't freak out." Dusty said hurriedly. "I just want to confirm something. Are you really Nick Loopin' Lopez? The same guy who worked with Blade on _"CHoPs"_?"

Nick swallowed. "Yeah…but how can you see me? Nobody else is supposed to see me."

"Honestly, I've kind of been able to see you since I came to Piston Peak." Dusty admitted. "I just never really found a moment to tell anyone."

"Have you told anyone?" Nick asked.

"No." Dusty said. "I just wanted to let you know I could see you. And I want to thank you."

"Thank me?" Nick blinked in surprise. "For what?"

"For looking out for Sky." Dusty said. "I saw you go with her to APS, and I was relieved to know somebody was watching over her."

Nick grinned. "Well, I knew she could take care of herself, but it's always better to keep an eye on her."

Dusty nodded. "I know she hates it when it seems like people fuss over her. But we've come close to losing her a couple times. I don't want to see that happen again. Nobody does."

"Yeah." Nick nodded. "Her family is pretty protective of her."

"Not just her family." Dusty corrected. "The entire town of Propwash Junction. We're a small town. Folks around here care about one another, and we look out for each other. Sure, there are some who might get on your nerves, but if you ever need help, they'll be there."

Nick smiled warmly. "That's what I like about this place. If Blade ever needed someplace to stay besides Piston Peak, this seems like a good place to go."

"He's always welcome." Dusty assured. "So are you."

Nick chuckled. But his eyes narrowed in thought. "I just don't understand how you can see me right now. Usually I just let Sky and Blade see me, with a few exceptions. Nobody else can see me unless they have the ability to see ghosts."

"So, what?" Dusty asked. "You're saying I can see dead people?"

"Perhaps."

Dusty and Nick jumped and looked over to see Skipper approaching them. "Aw don't tell me you can see me too." Nick said in an albeit whiny tone.

Skipper chuckled. "I've been able to see ghosts for a long time, Lopez. This ain't new to me."

"So do you know why we can see ghosts?" Dusty asked.

"I actually talked to that big green fella from Piston Peak." Skipper thought for a moment. "What was his name? Wind-something?"

"Windlifter?" Dusty and Nick said simultaneously.

"Yeah." Skipper nodded. "Last time he was up here at the Corn Fest. He told me I can see ghosts because I gained that ability by being touched by death."

"What does that mean?" Nick asked.

"My fight at Glendal Canal." Skipper said in a somewhat grave tone. "I came close to dying, but managed to pull through. Windlifter explained that, because I came so close to kicking the bucket, I can now see ghosts no matter what I or they do."

Dusty thought about it. "My crash in the Wings Around the Globe Rally. And maybe even my gearbox failing at Piston Peak."

"I'd be willing to bet Sky has the same ability." Skipper said. "She experienced similar crashes."

Nick nodded in understanding. "Well I appreciate you two telling me about this. I'd like to keep myself a secret for now."

"Can do." Dusty said. Skipper nodded in agreement. "But we're going to have to tell Blade."

"Of course." Nick said.

"And I do have one favor to ask." Skipper said, looking to Nick. "Until this whole debacle with Waller blows over, I want you to continue keeping an eye on Sky."

"She's gonna hate that." Nick warned.

"I know." Skipper nodded. "But nobody is going to be comfortable leaving her alone when they know a madman is after her. If you can watch her, even from a distance, we can all rest easy."

"But at what point is it considered stalking her?" Nick asked. "Sky's pretty capable of taking care of herself."

"I don't care." Skipper said firmly. "It's just too dangerous. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Can't we let her in on this, though?" Dusty suggested. "She won't get that mad."

Skipper and Nick gave Dusty a look.

Dusty thought about it. Sky didn't like the concept of depending on someone. She often enjoyed her independence, and knowing her family and friends were basically forming a bodyguard scheme would make her irritated. She would push them away even more if she found out.

"Okay, good point." Dusty admitted.

"We can keep an eye on her without hovering over her shoulder." Nick assured. "I'm just wondering when Harley is going to contact her."

"I don't want her going back to that school." Skipper said. "But you're right. She's itching to get back into action, and she won't relax until she hears from her friends."

"Kind of makes you wonder what's taking so long." Dusty muttered.

"Indeed." Skipper mused. He would've preferred Sky never setting foot on that campus again, but he wondered if Harley had already caught Dean Waller. That would explain why it seemed to take much too long for her to respond.

* * *

Harley spent most of the winter in Radiator Springs, catching up with her family and attending a charity event with Lightning. When January arrived, she and Finn started making another plan for catching Waller. Ultimately, they knew he would be going for Sky again the next chance he got. Stopping him was of the utmost importance. Using Sky as bait was absolutely out of the question, according to Harley. Once she made that clear, Finn brought up a point that she couldn't deny no matter how much she wanted to.

"I don't understand why I have to be the one to do this." Harley sighed.

"She's your friend." Finn reasoned. "She'll listen to you."

Harley leaned back in her chair. She and Finn currently rested in the lounge inside Siddeley, flying towards the Academy for Psyche Students to set up surveillance. Harley groaned, running her hand through her hair. Finn watched her, letting Harley gather her thoughts.

"Fine." Harley finally said. "Give me a second." She moved her chair over to the monitors and pulled up the radio. She set the right channel and pressed the button to talk. "This is Harley Hudson calling Skylar Riley of Propwash Junction. Do you read me, Sky?"

After a minute, Sky's excited voice came over the radio. _"Hey Harley! Long time, no talk!"_

Harley grinned a little. "Hey Sky. What's up?"

" _Not much. What about you?"_ Sky asked. _"I was worried when you didn't call sooner. When do we meet up with Katherine and get back to work?"_

Harley sighed. "That's why I called now, Sky. I need to ask something else from you."

Sky paused. _"What is it?"_

"I need you to stay out of this." Harley said. "Stay home in Propwash Junction. Pretend nothing happened, but stay alert."

" _What?"_ Sky gasped. _"But Harley, I can help!"_

"You can help by staying away and staying safe." Harley said. "I called Katherine and she agreed to stay home too."

" _Harley, if Waller is after me, then I need to be part of this case."_ Sky protested. _"I want to help."_

"I know." Harley said. "You've been a great help. And now, I need you to help by staying where you are. I'm sure Blade would also be more comfortable with you staying put. He has probably been worried sick about you ever since he was attacked."

Sky became silent, and Harley knew she was right. Sky sighed. _"Are you sure?"_

"Finn and I will find Waller and take him down." Harley assured. "Then I'll radio you when it's all clear." Sky didn't answer. Harley pursed her lips. "Sky, I'm asking you as a friend."

Silence, and then Sky groaned exasperatedly. _"Fine. I'll stay home."_

"Thank you, Sky." Harley said gratefully. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."

" _Yeah, yeah. Don't be a kiss up."_ Sky huffed. _"Just give Waller an extra punch for me."_

"You got it." Harley assured. "I'll call you when we got him."

" _Okay. Good luck!"_ Sky signed off.

Harley hung up on her end, and she relaxed in her chair. She glanced to Finn. "You know she deserves to be on this case."

"It will only put her in danger." Finn reasoned. "She needs to stay where it's safe."

Harley sighed. "Maybe we never should've gotten her involved. But it just didn't feel right to keep secrets from her."

"Keeping secrets is part of spy work, Harley." Finn said.

Harley became silent for a moment. "Well you would certainly know a lot about keeping secrets, Finn McMissile."

Finn gave her a bit of a glare. "You're not going to let that go, are you?"

"You know me." Harley shrugged.

Finn sighed. "We need to focus on this mission, Harley."

Harley nodded. "Right. Let's get to work."


	15. Lost

**Chapter Fifteen – Lost**

In the week following her talk with Harley, Sky tried to stay busy. She was still plenty irritated that Harley asked her to sit on the sidelines, but she couldn't exactly argue. If she tried to get involved, it would also make her father especially anxious. Skipper would never let her go back without Harley's consent. He probably wouldn't let her go at all. But Sky did her best to make peace with that decision. Besides, if she went back, then Blade might follow her.

Sky tried to not be angry. But ever since the incident at APS, she noticed at least one of her family was always in sight wherever she went. Somebody would either be with her or a very short distance away. If she couldn't see anyone, then Nick would always be right there. Sky knew they were just worried about her, but she wished they would back off. Heck, sometimes she felt like screaming at some of them. But she couldn't just snap at them, in fear of her thoughts coming out wrong.

One day, Sky received a text on her phone from Rosa.

 _Hello Sky! I was wondering if you would like to join me today for lunch. We should catch up._

Sky quickly texted her back. "Hey Rosa. I would love to. When and where?" She waited patiently for the text to come back. "'Two o'clock. Meet me at the foster house in Sterling.' Okay! Great!" Lunch with her foster mother sounded like the greatest idea in the world right now. But she knew somebody would see her leave town, and she didn't exactly want someone following her. Sky checked her watch. It was already twelve-thirty. But Chug would be on his lunch break by now. Sky looked around from her spot at the town's Corncob Café, but she didn't see any of her family nearby. _If I can just sneak out of town without someone noticing. Chug won't tell anyone._ Sky waited a minute, and then carefully yet casually rose from her seat and started heading to the Fill N' Fly.

 _Just don't get caught. Don't get caught._ Sky repeated to herself. _Don't get—_

"Hey Sky! Where ya goin'?"

"Dang it." Sky sighed. She turned with a smile. "Hey Dusty! Hi Nick! I'm just going on a walk."

"Mind if we join you?" Dusty asked.

"Yeah, it'll be fun!" Nick said.

Sky fought to keep the grin on her lips. "Well, that would be fun. I was just thinking that I would love some time alone."

"Trust me, walks are more fun than other people." Dusty said.

Sky's smile dropped. "Okay, I've had it." She ran her fingers through her hair. "Look, I understand that you guys have all been concerned about me. The entire situation with APS has been stressful on all of us. But I am really getting tired of you all breathing down my neck. I need time alone."

"Sky, we're just afraid for your safety." Dusty said. "It doesn't matter how well you can handle yourself. Waller is still out there."

"Waller wouldn't dare come near me when he knows there are people watching him. Harley's going to take care of him." Sky protested. "I'm going to be fine. I really, really need you guys to leave me alone for a while."

Dusty and Nick shared a look. "Well, I guess if it's just a walk." Nick said hesitantly.

"Actually, it's more than that." Sky admitted. "Rosa invited me to have lunch with her in Sterling. I'm going to ask Chug to take me to the foster house."

"You're leaving Propwash Junction?" Dusty asked.

"Sky, that's not a good idea." Nick said.

"Guys, I know you are worried about me." Sky said. "In all honestly, I'm glad you are. If either of you were in my situation, I would be raising some hell if you were in trouble. But I need some space. You and Blade and Skipper and even Sparky and Maru are hanging over my shoulder constantly. It's great that you care, but I am suffocating here."

"We just don't want to see anything happen to you." Nick said. "Injury from a fire or a race can't always be avoided. But a living person is actually _trying_ to hurt you."

"Nothing will happen to me." Sky assured. "Please, guys. I'm going to ask Chug for a ride. Can you please just give me a couple hours with Rosa? Let me have some time…..well, away from here. I need space."

Dusty and Nick were clearly torn. They didn't want her to go. It would've been better to just let her walk around Propwash Junction. But Sky gave them the most pleading look, and deep down they knew she would probably sneak away when nobody was looking.

"Okay, go ahead." Dusty said.

"Only if you can promise you'll keep in touch." Nick said.

"I have my phone and my radio." Sky assured, pointing to each item. "Two ways to contact anyone if I need help." She locked eyes with Dusty and Nick. "Please trust me. Okay?"

"We trust you." Dusty assured. "You just go have fun."

"Thanks. Really." Sky said gratefully. "Just do me one last favor: don't tell Blade or Dad. I'll be back before dinner. I promise." She turned and jogged off.

Dusty sighed heavily. Nick stared at him with concern. "You sure this is a good idea?"

"No." Dusty said.

* * *

Chug was happy to give Sky a ride, and the two of them chatted happily along the way.

"Ya gotta tell Rosa I said 'hi,' okay?" Chug said.

"Absolutely." Sky nodded. "Thanks again for driving me. I know it's kind of a long way."

"Not at all." Chug said.

Sky looked up and saw they were near the edge of town. "Pull over here, Chug."

"You sure?" Chug asked as he pulled over.

"Yeah. I want to walk for a while." Sky hopped off Chug's flatbed, her boots hitting the snow with a crunching sound. "It's cold, but nice. I wouldn't mind a quick stroll through the snow."

"If you say so." Chug said. "Give me a call when you want to come back."

"Thanks, Chug." Sky waved as the truck drove off. She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets and let out a sigh, her breath coming out in an icy cloud. Sky started walking, heading towards Rosa's home. She kept looking around, aware and casually observing her surroundings. She often liked to walk through her old hometown, reminiscing on her life while she lived there. Comparing her old self to the person she was today often surprised Sky, and she wondered how she could've had such an amazing transformation.

 _It was Skipper who did it, really._ Sky thought. _He and I had and still have a lot in common. The only reason I am who I am today is because I have the greatest dad in the world._

Sky took a break from looking and tried listening to the sounds around her. She could hear the sounds of cars in the distant traffic; a dog barking in a nearby yard; the snow crunching under her boots…and the second pair of shoes stepping in her footsteps.

Sky made it look like she was just casually glancing around, but secretly she stole a look behind her. She saw a human man walking a short distance behind her. It wouldn't have been suspicious if the man didn't appear to purposefully step in her own footprints to minimize how much noise he made. Sky looked ahead again, and she noticed a gas station nearby. Casually, Sky wandered into the store next to the pumps and began perusing the chips aisle. But the man came into the store too. Sky slipped out, and the man followed her. So Sky kept walking at a normal pace until she rounded a corner. The man sped up a little bit and came around the corner to see an alleyway that only had trashcans and a couple dumpsters in it. The man walked into the alleyway and looked around for Sky, only for her fist to meet his nose.

"Teach you to mess with a Navy brat." Sky sassed. She ran from the alleyway, almost slipping on the snow. But she saw a black-painted forklift coming right at her with the explicit intent of grabbing her. Sky jumped up, ricocheting off the forklift's tines and leapfrogging over him. She kept running. "This is so not how I imagined this day going." She groaned. Tires screeched on the road, and Sky saw two sedans coming after her. Sky began making a turn, but her boots slipped on a patch of ice and she hit some metal trashcans.

"Get her!" a man shouted. Sky looked up and saw the human man, forklift, and the sedans coming at her. She scrambled to her feet, only to slip again and land on a trashcan lid. The lid spun around with Sky on it, and she yelped and shouted as she spun like a top. When she finally stopped, Sky felt very dizzy but relieved. But her pursuers still came after her. Sky heard a horn honking, and she flinched when a moving van swerved to avoid her. A long strip of rope hung off the back door, and Sky grabbed it. The van began pulling Sky along, down the road and far ahead of her pursuers. Sky held on tight until the van took another turn. The whiplash sent Sky into another spin, and she ended up crashing into a tree.

Sky shook her head as she stood up. "Well that was exciting." She brushed snow off her jacket, and then yelped in pain when she felt something stab her thigh. Sky looked to her jeans and saw a red-feathered dart. She pulled it out, staring at it. Then she began feeling dizzy and limp. "Tranquilizer dart. You gotta…..be kid…ding…me…."

She collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Blade had to admit, Sky was right about the Propwash Junction folks being friendly. Even when he wandered around the town, like he did now, he always received a cheerful greeting from one of the townspeople. Nobody really knew who he was, but most people knew he was a good friend of Sky's and Dusty's. He was the one who trained them to become firefighters, after all. But Blade didn't interact with the townsfolk much unless Sky or Dusty were with him. Mayday was a constant companion if Maru wasn't around. Blade paused near the cliff next to the runway. He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

 _This is why I left the city for Piston Peak._ Blade thought. _Peace and quiet._ He looked down over the edge of the cliff, edging a little closer and feeling an updraft gently brush against him. He could remember Sky telling him about how she met Dusty, and she used to stand on the edge of the cliff to pretend she could fly.

Blade turned around to look back towards town. "Where is she?" he murmured. Now that he thought about it, Blade hadn't seen Sky since breakfast. Nick was with Dusty. Maru was with Skipper and Sparky last time Blade checked. Was anybody watching her? Blade began moving back towards town, looking around for his Soul Connect Partner. But he became alarmed when he didn't see Sky anywhere in the tiny town. "Where is she?" Blade muttered. "Why would she leave?"

"Good afternoon, Blade." Dusty greeted as he passed by.

" _Buenos tardes, Hermano."_ Nick greeted.

"Hey! Have either of you seen Raven?" Blade asked hurriedly.

Dusty and Nick froze. _Uh oh._ "Well, I think she went on a walk." Dusty said.

Blade narrowed his eyes. "Alone?"

"Just around town." Dusty said with a forced smile.

Blade saw right through that ruse. "Crophopper, where is Skylar?"

 _Okay, he's using full names. Can't beat around the bush anymore._ Dusty sighed. "She went to have lunch with Rosa."

"What?" Blade had a mix of shock and anger in his tone and eyes. "You let her leave town?"

"Chug is driving her." Dusty said. "She'll be with Rosa for a while, and then Chug will come right back with her."

"Nick, why didn't you go with her?" Blade demanded.

"She needs some alone time." Nick protested. "She's safe with my sister."

Blade still glared at them. "What if she gets hurt?"

"We can't keep hanging over her shoulder." Dusty reasoned in a weak voice.

"Is that you talking, or her?" Blade snapped.

"Does it matter?" Nick snapped back. "Sky's right. We keep shadowing her so closely, and it's only bugging her."

"If Waller touches her—"

"Then a whole lot of people are going to raise some hell." Dusty assured. "You won't be the only one fighting for her."

Blade sighed, his expression relaxing to resigned yet worried. "As long as you're sure she's just with Rosa."

Dusty and Nick nodded in confirmation. Then, Dusty had a thought. "You know, Chug just got back from dropping Sky off. It wouldn't hurt to give Sky and Rosa a call. Just to make sure she got there safely."

Blade perked up a bit. "I….haven't talked to Rosa in a while."

Dusty grinned. "Come on. We'll use the radio in the Fill N' Fly." He led the way as he, Blade, and Nick made their way over.

"Thanks, Champ." Blade said.

"Hey, no worries." Dusty said. "Family looks out for each other, right?"

Blade grinned. "Yeah."

Nick smiled. _There ya go, Blade. You're finally relaxing._

Dottie helped Blade set the radio channel and then left them to the call. Blade pressed his front wheel to the talking pedal. "Hello? Propwash Junction calling the Lopez Foster House."

" _Hi I'm Jimmy! What's your favorite color?"_ a young boy's voice called on the other end.

Blade, Dusty, and Nick blinked in surprise and confusion. "What?"

" _James!"_ Rosa's voice called in the background.

" _Sorry Mama Lopez!"_ Jimmy called back. _"Hi, I'm Jimmy! May I ask who is calling?"_

Blade chuckled. "My name is Blade Ranger. I'm a friend of Rosa's. May I speak to her please?"

" _Okay."_ Jimmy's voice rose in volume, indicating he shouted to Rosa who probably stood deeper in the house. _"Hey Mama Lopez! Your boyfriend is on the radio for you!"_

Blade felt his face grow hot. Dusty and Nick snorted when they tried to stop their laughter. Blade glared at them in irritation. "Not one word out of you two."

Jimmy started laughing, his voice fading as he ran away. _"Hello Blade."_ Rosa's voice came over the radio. _"So sorry about that."_

"It's all right." Blade assured.

" _Well, what can I do for you?"_ Rosa asked.

"I just wanted to check in." Blade said. "Make sure Sky got to you all right."

" _Oh, is Sky coming today?"_ Rosa asked, sounding surprised. _"I hope you didn't ruin the surprise."_

Blade, Dusty, and Nick stared, sharing questioning looks of shock. Blade turned back to the radio. "I-isn't she with you? You invited her to lunch."

" _No, no I didn't."_ Rosa said. _"I mean, I had meant to for a couple days now."_

"But you texted her!" Dusty protested.

" _Actually, my cell phone was stolen a couple days ago."_ Rosa explained. _"I haven't had a chance to get a new one."_ Rosa paused. _"Blade, Dusty, where is Skylar?"_

Blade's thoughts ran a mile a minute. He could barely register Rosa's voice. _She's gone. She's gone she's gone she's gone she's gone she's gone she's gone—_

" _BLADE!"_

The fire chief jumped when Rosa, Dusty, and Nick all shouted his name.

" _Blade August Ranger, for the love of Chrysler, where is my foster daughter?!"_ Rosa demanded.

"I-I'm sorry, Rosa!" Blade called. "I-I gotta go!" He hurried off, nearly ramming into Dusty and Nick on the way.

"We'll call you later, _hermanita!"_ Nick called before he and Dusty scurried after Blade.

"Where are you going?" Dusty shouted, just managing to catch up with Blade.

"I'm going to find my Partner!" Blade snapped, his rotors starting to spin before he even got to the runway.

"Then I'm coming with you!" Dusty declared, kicking up his engine power. "Propwash Tower, this is Crophopper 7. Flight of two heading to the runway for an emergency takeoff!"

* * *

Sky struggled to regain her senses and finally managed to open her eyes and get her bearings. The first thing she noticed was that she had her arms tied behind her back and she lay in the trunk of a car. She groaned.

"Dad is going to kill me." She paused. " _Blade_ is going to kill me." She jumped when the car stopped, and after a minute the human man and forklift from before opened the trunk to pull her out. Sky struggled as they dragged her into a building nearby. Skipper and Sparky's Navy training kicked in, and Sky began observing her surroundings. She saw an empty parking lot and a large, old warehouse. Across the street were several shops and a restaurant called "B Street Kitchen." Sky took all of this into account as her captors took her into the warehouse, locking the door behind them. They pulled her through the warehouse, deep into the building and to a secluded room two floors up. The human man pushed Sky into a chair dead center of the room, tying her to it.

"Now, now." A voice said from another room. "Be gentle with her." The human man and forklift stood at attention as another forklift pushing a cart came into the room. A familiar face followed him.

"Dean Waller." Sky said. It wasn't a question. She truly was not surprised to see Waller, but she couldn't believe he had found her.

"I do apologize for my method of getting you here." Waller said sincerely. "Stealing a cell phone is somewhat below me, but I could not think of a way to get you to come alone. You spend so much time with that Blade Ranger fellow. He never would've let you go."

"Stalker-ish much?" Sky sassed.

Waller only smiled, as though he were amused by Sky's hostile attitude. "Do not fret, my dear. Everything will be all right soon enough."

Sky struggled against her bonds. "You won't get away with this. My friends will find me and they're going to pound you into a bloody pulp."

"No need." Waller waved a hand dismissively. "I would be happy to hand you over to your friends once I am finished here. Of course, I could also call you a cab, if you like."

"I would like you to let me go." Sky ordered.

"All in good time." Waller began looking over the array of tools and bottles on the cart. He looked to the two forklifts and human. "Stand guard at the door. We cannot be interrupted if this is going to work." His henchmen nodded and went to do as they were asked.

Sky began struggling again, but the ropes were tight around her chest and wrists. Then, she heard a faint voice coming from the headset to her radio.

" _Sky? Sky, come in! It's Blade! Dusty and I need your location. We're coming to get you!"_

"Blade?" Sky breathed. She tried to find the 'talk' button on her radio, but Waller suddenly came over and pulled the headset and microphone off the radio.

"Sorry." Waller shrugged, setting the radio on the cart. "Don't worry. I'll let you call your friends when this is done."

Sky only growled in response. But she took comfort in the fact that somebody knew she was missing and were coming to get her. But now how to let them know where she was? Sky moved her fingers around her radio, searching for the right button based on her memory of the radio's look. She found what she hoped was the right button, and she began pressing it.

* * *

"Thanks, Chug!" Dusty looked to Blade as they flew alongside each other. "Chug says Sky asked him to drop her off at the edge of town so she could walk to Rosa's. She must've been taken when she was walking over there."

"She's not answering me over the radio." Blade growled in frustration.

"Let me try." Dusty offered. He turned on his radio. "Sky, come in. It's Dusty. Blade, Nick, and I are flying towards Sterling now. Tell us where you are and we'll come help." He, Blade, and Nick waited, but no reply came.

"Come on, _Cuervo._ " Nick groaned anxiously. He flew on the other side of Blade, trying to stay calm but failing miserably.

"Sky, do you read me? Over." Dusty called into the radio.

"Raven, can you hear us?" Blade listened closely, but heard nothing. "She's either unconscious or gagged. Either way, she's incapacitated and can't respond to us. How are we supposed to find her?"

"Sky will find a way." Dusty assured. "She's smart."

Blade knew Sky was smart. But the sooner they found her, the sooner they could save her. Blade kept his radio on, waiting and praying for a response from Sky. Then, he heard something. "What's that beeping sound?"

"What beeping?" Nick asked.

"I hear it too." Dusty said. "It's coming from the radio."

"Is it Sky?" Nick asked hopefully.

Dusty switched through a few channels. "Yeah, it's Sky." His eyes lit up. "She's using Morse code!"

"Can you understand it?" Blade asked hurriedly.

"Yeah, yeah! Skipper taught me!" Dusty listened to the beeping, listing off the message as he got each letter. "3…..B…..S…..T…A….1….1….3…B…..S….T….A….113…B…..S….T…..A113BST."

"What the heck is that supposed to be?" Nick asked in a somewhat frantic tone.

"It's some sort of message." Dusty said. "I think Sky's trying to tell us where she is. I just don't know what it means."

Blade, Dusty, and Nick wracked their brains, trying to decode Sky's message. Blade muttered the sequence under his breath. "A113BST….A113BST…..A113BST…" The gears spun crazily in his mind. "A. 1. 1. 3. B. S. T. A…11…..3…..BS…..T….." He paused. "B….S….T…..B…..ST….." His eyes widened. "B St.! Champ, that's a street name! She's giving us an address!"

"An address?" Nick repeated. _Clever kid!_

"A113, B Street." Blade said. "You know it?"

Dusty thought for a minute. "Uh….yeah….yeah, I do! B St. is a street in Sterling, and A113 is a warehouse number! Sky and I have passed it a million times!"

"Lead the way!" Nick urged. Dusty nodded, banking off and leading the helicopters off towards an older part of Sterling.

* * *

Luckily, Waller didn't notice Sky's work sending an SOS. He was too busy organizing medicine bottles and preparing a syringe.

Sky had to stall. "What exactly are you going to do?"

"Why cure you, of course." Waller said.

The answer caught Sky off-guard, and she stopped sending her message. "What do you mean, 'cure me'?"

"I'm going to cure you of your psyche human ailment." Waller said simply.

"What ailment?" Sky asked. "You're just a total loony, aren't you?"

Waller chuckled, shaking his head. "I apologize. I'm not being very clear, am I? How silly of me."

Sky stared at Waller in disbelief. "Yeah. You're a nutcase."

Waller resumed his work. "You see, Skylar, psyche humans are a plague on the human race. The genetic defect gives them a disease in the form of supernatural powers. I pity the psyche humans of the world, and I strived for years to discover a way to help them."

"Help them?" Sky repeated. "By taking away what makes them who they are?"

"Think about it, Skylar." Waller shrugged, circling the woman. "If you could cure Alzheimer's disease, would you? What about blindness? Think about all those terrible diseases and disabilities caused by genetic defects or just general bad blood. Psych-man abilities fall under that category. They aren't a gift. To be a psych-man is a terrible thing to happen to a person. But with this serum I have created, I will eradicate any trace of psyche human abilities."

Sky had about a thousand questions rattling around in her brain. "Wait, so you created something that takes away psyche human powers, yet you open a school for psyche humans to enhance those powers?"

"Well, the serum took quite a bit of experimenting." Waller shrugged, returning to the cart. "I had to study psych-mans and see how their powers worked. This allowed me to see just how I could block the coding for the genetic sequence that gave humans psych-man powers. I invite psyche humans to my school to watch them use their powers, and then I inject the serum into them in ways that looked like an accident. It was necessary, you see. I just couldn't get psyche humans to volunteer for test trials."

"Why me, then?" Sky demanded. "You went to all that trouble to get me to come to your school. Why?"

"It's not my place to say." Waller said.

"Why not?" Sky growled.

"Let's just say I am a man of my word." Waller said. "I made a promise and I intend to keep it." He lifted up a beaker of some strange light blue liquid, and he mixed in a few of the pills from the medicine bottles on the cart.

Sky fought against her restraints. _Dusty…..Blade…where are you?_

Waller dipped the needle tip of the syringe into the beaker, and he pulled some of the liquid into the syringe. He flicked the body of the syringe to clear it of bubbles. "Do stop struggling, Skylar. If I hit the wrong spot with this serum, it could end quite badly." He called the human henchman into the room, and the man held Sky's legs down. Waller came up behind Sky, readying the syringe. Sky thrashed as hard as she could, but she only succeeded in putting rope burns on her wrists. She hated how helpless she felt, but even when she kicked and head-butted her captors away, it only took one forklift and the human henchman to hold her down so Waller could get a proper shot.

The needle pierced Sky's skin, and Waller pushed the serum in.

* * *

Blade gasped in pain, his eyes wide when he felt intense pain flashing across his entire body. It felt like knives stabbing into him. He heard Dusty and Nick shouting at him, and Blade suddenly realized he was falling out of the sky. He jerked his tail, forcing him to hover properly. He panted, the pain now gone. Blade's eyes were still wild, and it took a few long seconds to calm himself down.

"Blade, what happened?" Dusty asked, looping around the helicopter.

" _Hermano?_ What's wrong?" Nick floated in front of Blade, worry etched in his features. "Blade?"

Blade shook his nose. "I'm fine. I'm fine." _Sky. Something's happened._ "We have to find Skylar _now_."

The three of them took off again.

* * *

Sky writhed in pain, and it took all her willpower to not scream from the agony. The pain felt like tearing muscles and scratches from a cat at the same time. Sky didn't know how long the pain lasted, but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds. The intensity died down to a mere throbbing within her, and Sky became limp. The men released her, stepping back. Sky panted softly, her eyes wide. She stared at the ground, some of her hair hanging over her face. Something didn't feel right inside her. She felt a strange sensation, like the feeling of an empty stomach, but she felt it all over.

Waller nodded in satisfaction. He set the syringe down on the cart. "Release her." He ordered. His henchmen did as he said. Waller continued to organize his things. "Skylar, would you like me to call you a cab? Or perhaps you'd like to contact your friends?" Waller jumped when he heard one of his henchmen shout in pain, and he spun around. The second Sky had her hands free, she jumped off the chair and kicked the human henchman squarely in the face. As he stumbled back, Sky landed perfectly on her feet and she grabbed the chair she was previously tied to. Sky swung the chair around and slammed it against the forklift, smashing the wooden chair to pieces. The forklift reversed suddenly in surprise. The human henchman came forward, but Sky punched and kicked him strategically and powerfully to send him collapsing on the ground.

Sky marched over to Waller, and she smacked him as hard as she could. "You little piece of scrapyard trash!" Sky snarled, grabbing the collar of Waller's shirt and hoisting him to her eye level. "How dare you? I have every right to beat you to death!"

"Skylar, dear." Waller said. "Do try to understand. I have helped you."

"Helped me?!" Sky screamed. "You haven't helped me! You nearly killed me!"

Waller sighed. "Someday you will understand." He raised his hand, reaching towards Sky's face. But Sky suddenly grabbed his hand and started squeezing it. Waller yelped and cringed. "Oh my! What a grip you have!"

Sky opened her mouth to shout at him, but she heard wheels on the ground and saw the forklift coming towards her again. Sky shoved Waller aside, and she jumped up to kick the forklift. The forklift bounced back a little, but came right back at her. Sky didn't hesitate to dodge his strike and then come in for a powerful punch. The punch, fueled by anger and adrenaline, was enough to crack the forklift's windshield. The forklift shouted in pain, driving around the room crazily. But one of his tine arms caught a cable on the wall and yanked on it hard. The force of the pull caused several lamps to jerk free from the ceiling, and Sky's and Waller's eyes widened when they saw the trajectory of the lamps' fall: right towards a collection of open crates filled with fireworks.

"Oh Chevy." Sky gulped.

The lamps crashed onto the crates with a shower of sparks. Sky screamed as she and Waller dove aside to avoid the explosion.

 _BOOM!_

Blade, Dusty, and Nick heard the whistling and booming of the fireworks from where they flew. Already, they could see a trail of smoke reaching for the clouds.

"You don't think….." Nick murmured.

Blade shot past Nick and Dusty, his eyes locked onto the column of smoke. "Wait for us!" Dusty shouted, him and Nick speeding up.

Inside the warehouse, now aflame, Waller began to regain his senses. He shook his head to rid himself of the lightheadedness, and his eyes widened when he saw the fire. He looked to his two henchmen nearby. "Don't just stand there! Get out of here! And don't get caught!" The human henchman nodded and began leading his companion out of the warehouse. Waller looked around the room. "Skylar? Skylar, where are you?"

Sky coughed harshly as she sat up, forcing herself to stand and try to regain her bearings. She saw Waller through the flames, and she glared hard.

Waller locked eyes with her. "Skylar, come this way! Let's get out of here!"

"Die and rot in hell!" Sky screamed. She turned and ran off. Waller tried to follow her, but stopped when a wall of flames got between them. He stared as Sky disappeared in the smoke and flames. Sky grabbed her headset and microphone as she darted into another room. The flames were spreading quickly, easily eating through the old material of the building. Sky plugged in her headset and switched the radio on. "Blade? Dusty? Please tell me you guys are still there!"

" _Sky!"_ Dusty's excited voice called. _"Boy, it's great to hear your voice!"_

" _You nearly gave us engine attacks!"_ Blade snapped. _"Where are you?"_

" _Are you in that old fireworks warehouse on B Street?"_ Dusty asked. _"Like the one that's on fire right now?"_

"Yeah!" Sky nodded. "There was…..a complication….."

" _Just hang on, Sky."_ Blade said. _"Dusty, Nick, and I are on the way."_

"Blade, there's something you need to know." Sky said.

" _Tell me later."_ Blade said dismissively. _"We're going to get you out of there."_

"No, Blade, just listen—" Sky started.

" _Get to a window, Sky."_ Blade ordered.

"Blade."

" _Stay at the window….."_

"Wait a minute."

"… _.and then Dusty and I will find you."_

"Blade, shut up!"

" _You shut up!"_

" _Uh, guys?"_ Dusty's timid voice came over the radio.

" _Skylar Riley, you need to do what I say."_ Blade ordered/urged. _"I promise, we will get you out of there. But you have to stay calm and—"_

"Blade, my powers are gone!" Sky shouted.

Silence came over them, save for the crackling of the fire. For the first time in a long time, Sky felt truly terrified. She also felt absolutely crushed. Tears began streaming down her cheeks, and she suddenly felt very dizzy and weak as the adrenaline wore off.

" _What are you talking about?"_ Blade finally asked.

Sky took in a shaky breath. "Waller found me. He put that serum in me, Blade. My powers, the Soul Connect, it's all gone."

* * *

Blade, Nick, and Dusty hardly slowed as they flew towards the burning warehouse. They exchanged looks with one another. It just couldn't be true. Sky couldn't lose her powers. But, then again, why else would she be freaking out this badly? The situation was becoming too unreal too fast.

Blade exhaled slowly. "Sky, I don't care right now."

" _What?"_ Sky breathed.

"Huh?" Nick and Dusty said simultaneously.

"We will figure out this entire situation as soon as we can." Blade said. "Right now, I am most worried about getting you home safe and sound. Let's take this one problem at a time, okay? I promise we will get you out of there."

Sky didn't answer save for a cough. _"Okay. Okay, got it."_

Blade quickly slipped into his usual fire chief mindset. "All right, listen up. I need you to find the closest window and stay near it. Do not open the window, but stay close to it. Once we find you, we'll go from there."

Sky coughed again. _"Roger that."_

"Nick, fly ahead and find Sky." Blade ordered. "Help us locate her."

"Don't even have to ask!" Nick darted off.

"Champ, when we get to the building and find Sky, she's going to open the window." Blade explained. "The fire is going to get stronger with more oxygen, so you need to hit it with some retardant to give Sky a clear shot out."

"You got it." Dusty said. He picked up on how Blade didn't confirm whether or not Dusty could do such a thing. Dusty would need expert accuracy for something like this. But he knew Blade never asked if someone could do something. Blade knew the abilities of all his firefighters, and he only assigned jobs to people based on their abilities. It meant he had faith in them, and Dusty wouldn't disappoint.

Nick flew far ahead of them, and his eyes widened a bit when he saw the flames of the burning building. He didn't waste a second and darted inside, flying through walls and not even bothered by the flames. "Sky! _Cuervo!_ Where are you?" He looked all around, trying to be quick yet not miss anything. "Come on, Sky. Where are you?" Nick paused and listened closely. Amidst the crackling flames and things crashing as they fell over, Nick heard someone coughing. He followed the sound, but jumped when someone else ran right through him. He spun around, glaring when he saw Waller running off. But Nick couldn't stop. He had to find Sky before something worse happened to her. Nick kept searching, calling for his friend.

Then, Nick heard it. Another round of coughing, but this time coming from deeper into the warehouse. Nick followed it, and he gasped when he saw Sky sitting below a window. She coughed harshly, her hands coated with ash and dust.

"Sky!" Nick called, floating over to her. "Sky, are you okay?" Sky only coughed, her lungs full of smoke. Nick winced in sympathy. "It's going to be all right. Just hang on." He flew right through the window, hovering outside it and scanning the sky for his friends. He finally saw Blade and Dusty a short distance away, and approaching rapidly. "Hey! Over here! She's here!"

Blade caught sight of Nick floating in front of a window on the building. He switched on his radio. "Sky, come in."

" _Yeah?"_ Sky asked.

"Dusty and I are approaching the building." Blade said. "Can you see us?"

Sky stood up shakily, leaning against the window. "Yeah. Yeah, I see you!"

" _Good. We see you too!"_ Blade said over her radio. _"Listen. I need you to open that window."_

"You got it!" Sky nodded. She pulled on the window, but discovered with a start it wouldn't move. Locked or just stuck, Sky began banging her shoulder on it and yanking on the latch as hard as she could. She quickly found out the window wouldn't be opening anytime soon, so looked around for a minute and then grabbed a chair from nearby. Sky grunted in effort as she slammed the chair into the window, shattering the glass. The increase in oxygen made the flames flare up and grow stronger.

" _Get out of the way, Sky!"_ Dusty's voice called through the radio. Sky looked up, and then ducked away just as Dusty's shot of retardant burst through the broken window. Sky still became coated in it, but she cheered.

"Nice shot, Champ!" Blade said.

"Whoo-hoo!" Nick did a flip from his excitement.

Dusty nodded, banking around to make sure Sky was okay. But a large explosion suddenly ripped through the windows of the bottom floor, and the building began to shake. Sky stumbled and fell, but managed to rise to her feet.

"Blade, this thing is getting hot." Nick warned. "Get Sky out of there!"

Blade flew closer towards the building, and he prepared the hoist. Sky stood up in the window again, but wisely moved out of the way so Blade had a clear shot. Blade threw the hook, and Sky grabbed onto the cable to wrap it around her waist. Sky climbed through the window, trying to avoid the broken glass. Dusty and Nick kept a close watch on her, in case she needed help.

"Come on, Sky." Dusty muttered.

"Try and stand on the windowsill and then swing out." Blade instructed. "Be careful!" Sky nodded in understanding, and she pulled up her legs to crouch on the windowsill.

Suddenly, another explosion burst from the windows, and the trembling shockwave pushed Sky out of the window. Sky felt a shard of the glass slice her calf as she fell, and she lost her grip on the cable. She screamed, and then shouted in pain when the hoist cable tightened around her stomach. Sky's eyes widened and she panted heavily as she stared at the ground, struggling to regain her grip. She felt off-balance, like she was falling and hanging at the same time.

"I got you!" Blade called, steadily hovering away from the building. "I got you."

"He got her." Dusty sighed in relief. _Thank you, Blade._

"Way to go, _Hermano._ " Nick said, quickly coming to Blade's side. Blade only nodded a little in response, focusing on getting Sky down safely.

" _Blade, Sterling Fire Department en route."_ Dusty reported.

"Let 'em know what we know and Sky can fill in on the details." Blade ordered, lowering Sky gently to the ground. "Tell the fire chief we need a paramedic."

" _Roger that."_ Dusty said.

Blade waited until the hoist cable went slack before he reeled it in, and he landed a short distance away from Sky. The second he felt his full weight on his landing gear, he darted over to Sky as she pushed herself to her feet. Sky wobbled terribly, and she had to lean on Blade's muzzle to stay upright.

"It's all right. I got you." Blade said soothingly. "You're all right."

Sky panted softly, and her arms shook as she struggled to stay standing. But she grinned. "Thanks, Blade. I'm sorry for leaving. I should've told you."

Blade smiled softly. "I don't even care anymore. You're safe. That's what matters."

Sky sighed, and she leaned heavily on her Partner. But her grin fell away when she realized she didn't feel the same pull she felt before when she came into contact with Blade. She looked all around, but the Soul Connect Thread was nowhere to be seen. Blade noticed it too. Normally, he could feel the Soul Connection similarly to how Sky could. But he felt nothing now, and he began to realize Sky was right. Waller's serum worked.

"It's gone." Sky whispered. "It's gone."

Nick stared at the ground sadly. Blade opened his mouth to say something, but Sky's legs suddenly crumpled underneath her and she passed out. Blade caught her, gently easing Sky onto a huge tire nearby. He nuzzled her head, sighing heavily.

Nick stared at Blade and Sky. He just couldn't believe the situation had gone so wrong.

 _This is so bad._


	16. Leave Me Alone

**A/N: Yeesh. I thought you guys would respond to that last chapter's ending but I didn't expect such an influx of reviews! I'll be nice and update again today, but I can't guarantee anything good coming out of this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen – Leave Me Alone**

Mater and Harley enthusiastically helped integrate Finn, Holley, and Siddeley into their family, and the Radiator Springs' folks accepted the spies warmly. The three spies practically moved to town. Finn, Holley, and Siddeley found they loved being part of the family, and took part in every family-related event within the town. This included movie nights at the drive-in, dinner at Flo's, and late-night get-togethers at the Wheel Well.

Harley skated towards the bar area of the Wheel Well, taking inventory of her family members. She saw Holley and Mater on a dinner date. Finn talked with Sheriff. Skating inside the bar, Harley saw Fillmore, Sarge, Lightning, Luigi, and Guido talking over drinks.

"Hey guys." Harley greeted. "Lightning, I want to talk to you about the racing season. I'm thinking we need to work in some other events."

"All right. Lay it on me, World's Greatest Agent." Lightning said.

Harley giggled softly. "Well, I just think we could start going to a couple different state fairs over the summer. They would be between races, and still give us plenty of time to relax between each shindig. You know, I've been thinking that we really need some sort of recreational race between you and Dusty Crophopper. I can talk to Sky about that. What do you say?"

"Yeah, sounds great!" Lightning said.

"Uh, you might want to hold off on that race, kiddo." Sarge said. Harley and Lightning followed Sarge's gaze to the TV. Brent Mustangburger currently talked to the audience, and the title banner on the screen read "Crophopper Team a No-Show."

" _Today, we received the racing schedules of track and air racers alike."_ Brent said. _"Looks like a great lineup of racers; but, sadly, this lineup does not include air racers Dusty Crophopper and Skylar Riley."_

"What?" Harley breathed, her eyes glued to the screen.

" _We have Dusty Crophopper with us today to talk about this decision."_ The camera widened out to show Dusty parked next to Brent. _"Welcome, Mr. Crophopper. So what's going on?"_

" _Hello Brent."_ Dusty greeted. His cheery voice had a somber undertone. _"Well, as some of you might've seen on the news recently, there was a major fire in Sterling, Minnesota. My friend and racing partner Sky was unfortunately caught in this fire. She is alive, but sadly was injured."_

" _Let's take a look at that fire."_ Brent suggested. A new image appeared in the place of Brent and Dusty to show several news feeds of a warehouse aflame in Sterling. Some of the images showed Blade and Dusty fighting the fire, Blade pulling Sky from the flames, and Sky being treated by paramedics. _"Wow."_ Brent's voice said over the clips. _"That looked pretty terrifying."_

" _Well, it's all in a day's work for a firefighter."_ Dusty assured. _"Even when it involves your friend."_

The clips disappeared to show Brent and Dusty again. _"So how is Skylar? Doing all right?"_

" _Sort of."_ Dusty said. _"The fire made Sky pretty sick, but the doctors are confident she'll pull through. She and I won't be coming back into racing until she's well again."_

" _Well, give her our best."_ Brent said. _"And we look forward to seeing you two returning to the skies."_

" _Thanks, Brent."_ Dusty said.

"Poor Sky." Lightning said. "Hope she feels better soon."

Harley pulled her laptop out of her backpack, typing some things at rapid speed. Her family stared in surprise and some concern at the fierce, concentrated look on her face. "Are-a you all right, _piccolo?_ " Luigi asked.

Harley didn't answer. After several minutes, she found a news clip about the fire that intrigued her. Harley analyzed the clip for several seconds before she paused the video. She clicked a few more things and zoomed in on a certain section of the clip. Her eyes widened when she saw Waller exiting the burning building and sneaking away from the chaos.

"Son of a Beemer!" Harley growled, slamming her laptop down and stuffing it into her backpack.

"Harley, what's wrong?" Lightning asked.

"No time to explain! I'll email you later!" Harley said hurriedly. She skated from the bar, nearly running into a couple people. "Finn! Holley! Mater! We gotta go!"

"Huh?" the three mentioned cars asked at once.

"I'm calling Katherine on the way." Harley paused in her frantic skating. "We're going to Propwash Junction immediately."

"Harley, what in the world is the matter?" Finn demanded as he approached the young woman.

Harley sighed through her nose. "Waller found Sky."

* * *

Skipper heard those screams so often in the past couple days that he no longer jumped when they woke him up. He only sighed heavily as he watched Sparky console their baby girl. More night terrors tonight. Sky thrashed and screamed, her eyes wide and her breathing labored and wheezing. Sparky spoke to her soothingly, helping her calm down. It took several minutes, but Sparky managed to stop Sky from thrashing so she lay limply on her bed and panted with her eyes half-open.

"That's it, Sky." Sparky said with a tired smile. "There you go. Just relax."

Sky slowly drifted back to sleep, the exhaustion overcoming her. Skipper watched as Sparky pulled a blanket over Sky, leaving her to rest. Skipper yawned a little. "What time is it?"

Sparky checked the clock. "Four-thirty in the morning."

Skipper nodded slowly. "All right. I can stay awake."

"No, go back to sleep." Sparky said. "Even for just a few more hours."

"It's fine, Sparky." Skipper assured. "I don't think I can go back to sleep now."

Sparky nodded. "Okay. Whatever you say. You want some coffee?"

"Just some fresh air would be nice." Skipper said. "The chill of the sea air on the _Flysenhower_ always woke me up better than any cup of coffee." He slipped out the hanger doors, careful to not awaken his daughter. Sparky followed him, shutting the hanger door behind them and praying Sky would sleep for at least a few hours. Skipper and Sparky parked outside the hanger, letting the cool morning air wake them up. A fog settled over the land, putting the plane-shaped mesa of Propwash Junction on a cloud. Sparky's and Skipper's exhales, no matter how soft or silent, came out in the form of clouds in front of their mouths. The two Navy veterans stayed quiet, their minds empty of any thoughts. It was so early that only silence could be heard for miles around.

Then, the sound of tires approaching made Skipper and Sparky turn, and they saw Blade, Maru, and Dusty coming up to them. "What in Chrysler's name are you three doing awake?" Skipper asked. "It's five in the morning."

"I've always been an early riser." Maru shrugged.

"And I wake up at the crack of dawn every morning for patrol." Blade added. Both of them had melancholy tones to their voices.

"I couldn't really sleep." Dusty said. "Kept thinking about Sky."

"Tell me about it." Skipper nodded slowly.

Silence came over them.

"How is she?" Dusty finally asked.

Skipper sighed. "To be honest, Dusty, none of us have really gotten any sleep for the past couple nights."

"Sky's body and mind aren't accustomed to not having the abilities of a psyche human." Sparky said. "She's struggling so hard to adjust. She's been suffering from night terrors, seizures, and she keeps going in and out of shock." He rubbed his eyes. "I can't go to sleep. I just don't want to risk that she might need my help and I won't be there."

"She's not gonna…I mean, she won't…" Dusty swallowed, unable to finish his sentence.

"Stop freaking yourself out like that." Blade ordered. "Sky will be fine. She just needs time to heal."

"Any word on catching Waller?" Maru asked.

"Local authorities in Sterling claim he was never even there." Skipper said, his tone bitter. "Several professors at APS said Waller was at a meeting with them at the school."

"He's lying." Dusty growled.

"That is painfully obvious, Dusty." Skipper snapped. "But all we got to prove that is our word."

"Anything we can do to help?" Maru offered.

"Thanks, but I don't think so." Sparky said. "This isn't exactly something that can be treated. We just have to help her get through it. What have the folks been saying?"

"Everyone in town is just worried about her." Dusty said. "They don't know her powers are gone, but they know she's sick and injured. They give their best."

"Any word from Sky's friend, Harley?" Skipper asked.

"Nothing." Blade replied.

Suddenly, they heard a revving engine and someone calling in the distance. They all turned and became quite surprised to see a familiar Aston Martin and brunette human girl coming towards them.

"Harley?" Dusty jumped when Finn and Harley stopped in front of them, the two spies panting heavily. "What are you two doing here?"

"We came as soon as we saw that report on the fire." Harley said. "And when you said you couldn't race because Sky was hurt."

"Is it true?" Finn asked. "Did Waller—"

"Yes." Dusty said, staring at the ground. "Waller tricked her into leaving Propwash Junction. Blade and I went to find her, but…."

"Where is she?" Harley demanded gently.

A scream from inside the hanger made them all jump.

"That'd be her." Sparky sighed.

"Take me to her." Harley ordered. Sparky nodded, leading Harley into the hanger with Maru close behind them. Harley saw Sky going through the different symptoms of shock: pale and sweaty skin, irregular breathing, and dilated pupils in lackluster eyes. She held back any sighs of pity as she approached the bed.

"She's been in and out of shock for days. She keeps getting night terrors and having seizures." Sparky reported.

Harley nodded in understanding, and she knelt beside Sky. She put her hand on Sky's forehead, causing Sky to look towards her with an unfocused gaze. Sky couldn't exactly register much, but she calmed down considerably when she heard Harley's soothing voice.

"It's time to sleep now, Sky." Harley said in a soft tone. Her hand began to glow softly in an aqua green light. "Sleep, and you'll be all right." She allowed her healing abilities to work, and soon Sky drifted off to a comfortable sleep. Harley sighed softly. She slowly stood up, turning to Sparky and Maru. "She'll sleep for now. If we're lucky, she'll be able to sleep for the next twenty-four hours. But if she wakes up, come to me and I'll make her sleep again."

"Thank you." Sparky said gratefully. "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it." Harley assured.

"Um, Harley?" Dusty piped up from the open door of the hanger, where everyone else gathered. "Sky will be okay, right?"

Harley looked to Dusty. "I won't lie to you, Dusty. People have died because of this serum. Psyche humans were not born to just have their powers taken away. But Sky will be fine. She's strong, and she's stubborn. None of this will be easy, but I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Some of our colleagues will be joining us later today." Finn said. "Is there somewhere we can stay?"

"I'll show you to the motel." Dusty offered. "There should be plenty of rooms left."

"I'll stay with Raven." Maru offered.

"You don't have to do that." Sparky assured.

"Well you sure as heck ain't staying up any longer." Maru scoffed. "You've been up all night."

"Yeah, but—" Sparky yawned in the middle of his protest.

"Sparky, I'll handle it." Maru assured. "You get some sleep."

"I agree." Skipper said. Sparky secretly loved the idea of getting some rest, but it was that final bit of encouraging from Skipper that got him to finally retire to bed. Blade followed Dusty as he led Harley and Finn to the hotel.

"Have you arrested Waller yet?" Blade asked.

Harley and Finn shared a look, and the former sighed. "No. We haven't."

"What? Why not?" Blade growled.

"We have no evidence to prove he took Sky's powers." Harley said. "He has an alibi, even if it is untrue, and our word alone will not be enough to hold anything against him."

"My Partner is hurt and sick and we're just going to let that son of a Beemer get away with it?" Blade snarled.

"There is no point in trying to arrest Waller." Finn growled back. He forced himself to calm down, knowing anger won't help the situation. "His target was Miss Riley. He succeeded in giving her the serum, and we have no way of catching him."

"What about Sky's testimony?" Dusty asked. "She saw Waller."

"But Waller's alibi suggests that Sky was mistaken." Harley said.

"For now, we must focus on helping Miss Riley cope with this." Finn said. "These are going to be some very difficult days for her."

"Can't you heal her?" Blade asked Harley.

"Believe me, I would if I could." Harley sighed remorsefully. "But I can't give back what's been taken away."

They fell silent, only breaking the silence when Finn and Harley bid Dusty and Blade goodbye at the hotel. Blade and Dusty simultaneously sighed, turning to go about their business.

"Hey Blade." Dusty piped up, making Blade pause. "It's not your fault. You did everything you could."

Blade didn't answer for a moment. "What makes you think I blame myself?" He asked in a very emotionless tone.

"Because I blame myself." Dusty answered. "And I know you love Sky as much as I do."

Blade didn't answer. He rolled off.

* * *

Sky slept for the entire day and throughout the night. Mater, Holley, and Katherine arrived in Propwash Junction to offer their services. Dusty encouraged Ishani to stick to her racing schedule, which meant the Indian racer had to leave before Sky woke up. Maru, Blade, and Nick determined that they would stay in Propwash Junction until everything blew over or until fire season started, which ever came first. Katherine talked with Leland and Nick about ways they could prove Waller took Sky's powers, but none of their ideas turned out to be any good. Harley, Finn, and Holley encouraged everyone to drop their thoughts about arresting Waller and proving his guilt. Harley often worked with Finn, Mater, and Holley on how they could tear apart Waller's alibi during the evening hours. For now, everyone's effort had to go towards helping Sky cope with her lack of powers.

When Sky finally woke up, Skipper and Sparky noticed she looked a thousand times better: a normal color to her face, the strength to actually stand up and walk around, and a better appetite. Her eyes had a normal shine, but were dull of energy and life. But she still ate breakfast with Sparky and Skipper and agreed to go meet everyone at the Fill N' Fly so they could see she was doing okay.

On the way to the Fill N' Fly, Sky heard well-wishes and warm greetings from every Propwash Junction resident they passed by. Sky only waved and smiled back. Twenty-four hours of sleep and a full breakfast gave Sky a shine and seemingly upbeat attitude, which gave the illusion that nothing was wrong. But Skipper and Sparky could see she still struggled. Hopefully they'd be able to help her fully heal soon.

Quite the group of people waited at the Fill N' Fly to greet Sky, Skipper, and Sparky: Dusty, Chug, Dottie, Blade, Nick, Maru, Finn, Holley, Harley, Mater, Leland, and Katherine. Sky felt a little embarrassed about all the people who came to see her, but she still greeted them all with a smile.

"You gave us quite a scare." Finn said. "Harley about had a heart attack."

Harley shrugged. "Eh, what can I say?"

"Well thank you for being concerned." Sky said. "I wish you hadn't gone to the trouble, though."

"Nah, don' worry 'bout it." Mater assured. "Friend of Harley's is a friend of mine."

Sky nodded in thanks. Dusty bit his lower lip, but finally decided to bite the bullet. "So how are you feeling, Sky?"

Sky shrugged. "All right, I guess. Nice to get a full night's sleep. Right now, I feel like I need to do something semi-productive."

Dusty perked up. "How about flying? Let's go for a round about the fields."

Sky rubbed the back of her head. "Uh, gee, Dusty. I don't know. I don't really feel up to it."

"It doesn't have to be training." Dusty offered. "Let's just go fly around and have some fun. What do you say?"

Sky stared at Dusty for a moment as she thought about it. She finally sighed softly. "Yeah. Okay, sure. Dottie, do you have one of my harnesses in the shop?"

"Yeah. Come on." Dottie gestured for Sky to follow her, and the two of them disappeared into the Fill N' Fly.

"You sure about this, Dusty?" Chug asked.

"Even when you race for fun, Sky tends to use her powers out of habit." Skipper reminded him.

"I know." Dusty nodded. "Maybe, just maybe, we can use that to get Sky her powers back. It can't hurt to try, right?" Everyone exchanged looks, contemplating Dusty's plan.

"It's a good start." Maru said.

"Just be careful." Sparky warned. "We have no idea how she's going to react physically."

Dusty nodded in understanding. He wasn't sure if this would actually work, but maybe Sky's powers weren't fully gone. If that was the case, he could bring them back. He had to try, because he couldn't just sit back and watch his friend suffer.

Sky emerged in her racing harness, and she mounted Dusty. He headed out towards the runway, and he began preparing for takeoff. He felt Sky shift on his back to her riding position, but he could tell she wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as she usually was when they flew. Dusty took off into the air, and he banked off towards the fields. He kept his speed down for a while, waiting for a reaction from Sky.

"You doin' okay?" Dusty finally asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah." Sky nodded. "We can pick up speed, if you want."

Dusty did so, half-heartedly. _This is not the reaction I was hoping for._ He looked ahead, and he saw the river. An idea formed in his mind. "Hey, I got an idea. You wanna have some fun?"

"I thought we were having fun." Sky pointed out.

"Yeah, but I mean _a lot_ of fun." Dusty said.

"Well, what did you have in mind?" Sky asked. She yelped when Dusty put on significantly more speed, and she had to duck as he knife-edged a couple trees. "Dusty? What are you doing?"

"Something I told your dad I would never do again!" Dusty laughed, ducking under the river bridge and pulling up. But instead of a straight vertical, Dusty began spinning. Sky held on tightly, but her fear soon began to leave her. Dusty transitioned from a spin to an inside loop, which made him zip across the lowest clouds in the sky. He dipped in and out of the clouds, the cold moisture tickling his hide and Sky's skin. Sky giggled, and she relaxed more. Dusty perked up at the giggle, and he dove down to dart over Propwash Junction and perform numerous feats of acrobatics.

"I thought I told him not to do that." Skipper droned.

Sparky watched the flight through a pair of binoculars. "Yeah, but I think it's working! Sky's laughing!"

"She is?" Everyone asked at once.

"Yeah, yeah!" Sparky nodded. "Maybe Dusty's plan will work!"

Dusty and Sky whooped and laughed as they soared. Sky started feeling like her old self again, a welcome feeling after days of sickness and misery. Dusty tried to feel for the connection Sky usually made with him, but found nothing yet. He kept up with the fancy flying, hoping to jog something.

Suddenly, Dusty heard Sky gasp and felt her weight fall to one side. He checked his mirror to see Sky collapsed and her body twitching. "Whoa, Sky!" He switched on his radio. "Mayday! Mayday! Sparky, come in! Something's wrong with Sky!"

" _I see you, Dusty!"_ Sparky said. _"Sky's going into shock again. Get down here ASAP."_

Dusty ruefully turned and landed back on the runway, screeching to a halt as Maru and Sparky hurried over. They unhooked her from the harness and got to work calming her down. Everyone gathered around but still gave the trio their space, staring at Sky worriedly.

"Is she okay?" Dusty finally asked.

Sparky scooped up Sky. "She'll be fine. We gotta get her home, though. She needs to be somewhere comfortable." He drove off, Skipper close behind her.

"Go keep an eye on her." Blade whispered to Nick. The ghost only nodded and trailed after Sky, Skipper, and Sparky.

"I'm so sorry." Dusty said. "I thought maybe something good would happen if…" He sighed heavily.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up." Maru encouraged.

"It was a good idea." Chug agreed. "I just wish it had worked."

"We'll figure something out." Dottie assured. "Let Sky recoup and we'll go from there."

Dusty stared at the ground. "Sky's never going to get her powers back, is she?"

Everyone became silent, either unsure how to answer or afraid to.

* * *

Nick continued to watch over Sky, even as she slept. She woke up from a short nap looking much better, but also sheepish because of what happened. Skipper gave in to her request for a casual walk around town, but he made sure Nick would stay by her side.

Sky stuffed her hands into her pockets and sighed. Nick stared at her in concern. "You doing okay, _Cuervo?_ " Sky didn't answer. Nick coughed. "Yeah. Bad question. Uh, why don't we go do something fun? Something non-psyche human related." Sky still didn't answer. Nick's brow furrowed. "Come on, that'll be okay. We can go for a hike or sit by the river. Let's just do something fun and relaxing. You'll feel better." Still no response. Nick frowned a little, and he stopped talking. _No need to ignore me. Give me some sort of response, won't ya?_

"Hey Raven." Blade greeted as he came to roll beside her.

Sky gave a small smile. "Hey Blade. What's up?"

"Got a good view of your town from the sky." Blade said. "Stark contrast to how the place looks in the summer."

"Yeah." Sky bobbed her head. "Nice place."

Blade stared at Sky for a moment. "You doin' all right?"

Sky shrugged. "Sorta."

 _Answer him but not me?_ Nick wondered.

"You want to go on a hike or something?" Blade suggested.

"Not really." Sky sighed. "I think I just want to find a quiet place to sit down."

Blade nodded in understanding. "The river?"

Sky nodded. "Sure. Wanna join me?"

"My pleasure." Blade agreed. He and Sky began heading towards the river. Nick stayed beside them, but he was confused by Sky's behavior. Why ignore him and answer Blade when he asked the same questions?

Blade watched Sky walk. She had the outer appearance of someone completely normal, but her eyes betrayed her true pain. Blade gave Sky a comforting nuzzle.

"Ow!" Sky yelped.

Blade jumped. "What? What is it?"

Sky rubbed her arm. "Nothing. You…uh….ran over my foot."

"I did?" Blade asked.

"Yeah. Just a little. By accident." Sky said.

Blade wasn't sure if he had, but he didn't argue. "Sorry."

"No problem." Sky assured. She fell silent again, and they continued their stroll. Blade had a feeling he accidentally hurt Sky when she came into contact with him, but he couldn't understand how he hurt her.

* * *

Finn looked up from his paperwork to glance around the hotel room. Holley reviewed old research on Dean Waller. Mater parked beside her, the two of them whispering about different things they found. Leland paced back and forth across the floor, muttering in thought. Harley sat at the desk, her eyes glued to her computer screen. Finn's gaze lingered on Harley. She sat hunched over, her head in her hands, and her foot tapping constantly.

"Why don't we all take a break?" Finn suggested. "We are tired and it is not helping us think."

"How 'bout we git supper?" Mater suggested.

"That sounds like a grand idea." Holley agreed. Leland nodded as well. Everyone looked to Harley, who had yet to take her eyes off her work.

"Harley?" Finn raised his voice a little. "Let us go have supper."

"I'm busy." Harley said.

"Not too busy fer supper." Mater protested weakly.

"I'll eat later." Harley retorted.

"Harley Hudson, you have not eaten a full meal in almost a week." Holley scolded. "You will come to supper with us—"

"I don't have time for that!" Harley suddenly screamed, leaping to her feet. The wild anger in her eyes startled the others. "Damn it to hell. Can't any of you see that? I am trying to bring a madman to justice and I can't do that if you keep distracting me!" She swept everything off the desk in a swift, fluid motion, sending her laptop, the desk lamp, and piles of papers to the floor. "I cannot just sit back and do nothing while he walks free!"

"Harley, stand down!" Finn snapped.

"Or what?" Harley sassed angrily.

Finn's gaze hardened to a stern glare. "Harley. Stand down." He kept his eyes locked with Harley's, and he steadily began to relax. "Close your eyes. Take a deep breath."

Harley stared at the ground. She closed her eyes and slowly inhaled. Steadily, she exhaled, and then inhaled, and then exhaled again. Her anger began to trickle away. Harley sometimes wondered if her father's spirit secretly gave Finn advice on how to calm her down. She still felt plenty frustrated, but her exhaustion trumped that tension.

"I'm sorry." Harley murmured.

Everyone settled down. "It's all right, Harley. Cases are not always solved in the span of a week." Finn assured. "Sometimes they take months. Sometimes the trail runs cold and the case is not solved for years. But destroying ourselves over it will not help anyone."

"What _will_ help is time away from the work." Holley said. "Take a break."

"It'll make ya feel better." Mater agreed.

Harley stared at them for a moment. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay. Let's go get supper." She skated between Leland and Finn as they all left the hotel room. But Harley began to slow down, and Finn allowed Mater and Holley to drive ahead.

"What is it?" Finn asked.

"Please don't be so bent out of shape about this case, Harley." Leland requested.

Harley sighed. "There's just one thing I don't understand. Why Sky? Why did he target her? He did all this research on a serum to take away powers, and he only did it because he wanted to take Sky's in particular."

"Maybe he saw her as a threat." Leland suggested.

"Why?" Harley asked. "Waller isn't a psyche human. As far as we know, he's never even met Sky before. What was this all about? Destroying a worldwide-known celebrity just for the heck of it?"

"Skylar mentioned Waller has a prejudice against psyche humans." Finn reminded her.

"And yet he waited until he perfected the serum before using it on Sky. If it was simple prejudice, he could've just as easily shot her in the head." Harley countered. She ran her fingers through her hair. "That's the missing puzzle piece. That's the connection we're missing. What is the connection between Skylar Riley and George Waller?"

* * *

Nick didn't have to look long to find Blade. Today, the helicopter parked himself out on the cliff to stare at the horizon. It seemed his old habit of fire scouting kicked in again.

Nick floated over and settled next to his friend. "Hey Blade. I need to ask a favor of you."

"What is it?" Blade asked.

"Have you talked to _Cuervo_ much lately?" Nick asked.

"I check in on her every day." Blade said.

"Next time you talk to her, will ya ask her why she's ignoring me?" Nick requested.

"She's been ignoring you?" Blade asked, surprised.

"For the last couple days." Nick confirmed. "I don't know if I did or said something to upset her, but she just won't answer me no matter what I do. If I did something wrong, I'd like to know."

Blade thought back to the last couple weeks. What could Nick have said or done to make Sky so upset that she would ignore him? "Why don't we find out? Come on." He and Nick made their way over to Skipper and Sparky's hanger. Blade also wanted to find out something. Sky had been flinching away from him lately, and he began to worry that something else may be wrong with her. They had to get to the bottom of any new problems and stomp them out quickly. Heaven knows they had enough issues as it is.

Just as the two helicopters came to the hanger doors, Skipper and Sparky exited the building. "Oh, good afternoon." Skipper greeted.

"I'd like to speak to Sky if I could." Blade requested.

"Go right ahead." Sparky said. "Skipper and I are going to Honkers for a while."

"Going to drink their troubles away, no doubt." Nick muttered. He yelped when Blade whacked him with his rotors. Skipper and Sparky left, and Blade stuck his nose through the doorway.

"Raven?" Blade called.

"Coming." Sky walked into the main room from the kitchen. "Hey. What's up?"

"I'd like to talk to you about something." Blade said. "You busy?"

"No, it's fine." Sky assured. "I actually wanted to talk to you too."

Blade perked up inside. After how withdrawn Sky acted, he welcomed her desire to reach out at last. "Talk about what?"

"It's about Nick." Sky said. "I haven't seen him in a while and I'm just wondering what happened to him. He didn't go after Waller himself, did he?"

Blade and Nick stared at her. "What?" Blade asked.

"Nick." Sky repeated. "I haven't seen him in a while. Is he mad at me?"

"He thought you were mad at him." Blade said. "You've been ignoring him."

"No I haven't." Sky said. "If anything, he's been ignoring me."

Blade narrowed his eyes. "Sky, Nick is here. Right now."

Sky looked around. "No, he's not."

"Yes, he is." Blade said.

"No, he's not." Sky insisted.

"I'm right here!" Nick snapped.

"Can't you see him?" Blade demanded.

"Blade, I'm really not in the mood for this." Sky said, crossing her arms.

"Skylar, Nick is here." Blade said, his gaze locked with Sky's. "He is right here."

Sky realized Blade was completely serious. She took another look, careful to not miss anything. But she only saw her home, and only she and Blade stood there. "Nick?" Sky called. "If this is some weird way of cheering me up, it's not working." No answer came.

"Sky, turn to your right." Blade guided. "Now stop. He is literally right in front of you."

Sky stared in front of her, but she only saw an empty space, and she wondered if Nick was just invisible. "Nick?"

"I'm here, _Cuervo._ " Nick said, staring at Sky with an almost pleading look. "I'm right here. Please just see me."

Sky raised her hand and tentatively reached out. But even when she extended her arm out fully, she touched nothing. Blade's eyes widened at what he saw. Nick stared in shock.

Sky's hand went right through him.

Sky retracted her hand and took a few steps back. "Why can't I see him?"

Blade didn't know what to say. For all they knew, losing the Soul Connection meant losing her ability to see Nick or just ghosts in general. Blade wanted to say something, but nothing really came to mind. He came forward and gave Sky an encouraging nudge.

"Ouch!" Sky yelped.

"What?" Blade asked.

Sky rubbed her arm. "Nothing."

"Don't tell me it's nothing." Blade snapped. "What is going on with you?"

Sky stared at her hand, and then walked over and put her hand on Blade's muzzle. This time, both Blade and Sky felt sharp stings of pain throughout their bodies, and they simultaneously shouted in pain. Sky took several steps back until she felt the pain leave completely.

Nick realized something. "It's Sky's powers. They want to react to the Soul Connection, but it's not possible anymore because…."

"Your powers are trying to react to the Soul Connection." Blade said, repeating Nick's explanation.

Sky stared off into space. "But they aren't there anymore."

Blade tried getting closer. "Raven—"

"Don't come near me!" Sky said hurriedly. Blade froze in his tracks, staring at Sky in confusion and concern. Sky turned from him, and she began to pace back and forth across the hanger. Blade watched her move, and Nick could practically see the gears churning in his brain. Nick wanted to do something to help, but if only Blade could see him, what good would it do?

"Sky, I want to help you." Blade finally said. Sky stopped pacing, but she had her back to Blade. "I can only imagine what pain you're going through. But I won't just sit back and watch you deal with it alone. That ain't what Partners do, and it sure as hell ain't what friends do. Just tell me what I can do to help you, and I'll do it. Whatever you need."

Sky slowly turned around and stared at Blade with dull, pained eyes. "Whatever I need?" Blade nodded. Sky took in a shaky breath and sighed. "I need you to stay away from me. That is the last thing I would ever want to ask of my friend, but I can't…." She sighed again. "It hurts to even be near you because my nonexistent powers are…reacting…somehow…look, I don't know why it hurts, but it's making it hard for me to be near you. If I can just get some distance between us for a while, it will help."

"Okay." Blade said, halting any further explanation from Sky. His expression was neutral. "Okay. I asked what you needed, you said you needed space. That's something I can do." He turned and rolled out the door. He paused just outside. "You let me know if I can do anything else."

He rolled off, leaving Sky alone in the hanger. Sky collapsed onto her bed, and she started quietly sobbing into her pillow.

Nick moved so he floated in Blade's line of sight. "Blade, you cannot just leave her."

"I would never fully abandon her." Blade said, his voice devoid of emotion. "But it kills me to know that I'm hurting her."

"But you—"

"I know what I'm doing, Nick. Don't lecture me." Blade pushed past his friend, his eyes settled in a glare. Nick watched him go. He sighed heavily.

"Chrysler help us." Nick murmured.


	17. I Won't Let Go

**Chapter Seventeen – I Won't Let Go**

Blade was true to his word. He avoided Sky whenever he could, and was especially careful to not come into physical contact with her. Sky became even more withdrawn from everyone. She would sit out in the forest or by the river for hours on end. Mayday and Spot Fire came out to try and cheer her up, but Sky would either not answer them or just ask them to leave. Chug went on a hike with her, but she wouldn't participate in any conversations. Dottie and Katherine and Dusty and Sparky and Skipper and even Maru did whatever they could to make Sky at least smile. But, if anything, her mood had taken a swift turn and now she was doing worse than ever. Harley couldn't help. Finn, Mater, and Holley had to keep their youngest spy from going mad over the case.

In general, things were descending to hell in a handbasket.

Maru confronted Blade one night. "What are you thinking? You know what? Don't answer that. Because you ain't thinkin' at all!"

Blade didn't even look towards Maru. He just kept staring out the window. "What are you talking about?" Once again, his voice remained impassive.

"Don't give me that slag, Blade Ranger!" Maru snapped. "Do you honestly expect to help Raven by staying away from her? Last I checked, helping a friend through tough times didn't require abandonment."

"I am not abandoning her." Blade replied stoically.

"Yes you are." Maru insisted. "You absolutely are. You're just saying you aren't to defend yourself. I can see how much more you're hurting her and yourself."

Blade finally turned around, a mildly confused look in his eyes. "Myself?"

"You're good at hiding your pain, Ranger. But I've known you long enough to see that pain no matter what you do." Maru said, glaring at Blade.

Blade returned the glare. "Don't assume so much." He turned and headed towards the door.

Maru sighed in frustration. "Blade." He looked to make sure Blade had stopped. "I watched you dig yourself into a hole and it took a long time for you to dig yourself out of it. That hole is still there, and I ain't gonna watch you fall back into it again."

Blade didn't answer. He continued on and out the door. Maru growled in irritation and frustration, muttering to himself. Nick, having watched the argument from his spot in the corner, suddenly felt angry. He immediately flew off, across town and over to the Riley hanger. He phased through the roof and took a look around. Sparky had already gone to bed, and Skipper apparently slept as well. Sky remained awake, a lamp on her nightstand giving her light to read by.

Nick settled at Sky's bedside. " _Cuervo,_ I know you can still see me. You can hear me. I know it. I'm right here, and I am not going to leave you to deal with this situation alone."

Sky didn't answer.

"Come on, Sky! I'm here! I'm always here! You know I'm here, now talk to me!" Nick demanded.

Still no answer from the raven-haired woman.

Nick hovered so that he stood right in front of Sky, his nose almost touching her book. "Sky. I am right here. Talk to me. I've always been there to help you. I would go to your races just to make sure you were okay, for Chrysler's sake. You're my friend, Sky. We can't ignore this. Talk to me, please."

Sky shut her book, and she sighed softly. She stared straight ahead, and Nick began to smile. Then, Sky put her book aside and shut off her lamp. She settled down to sleep.

"No, no, come on!" Nick tried to nudge Sky awake, but he went right through her. "Sky. Sky! Skylar Amelia Riley!" But nothing Nick did caught Sky's attention. She soon fell fast asleep. Nick slumped in defeat, and he sighed.

Nick heard someone clear their throat softly, and he turned to see Skipper staring at him. The Corsair motioned for Nick to follow him, and the two of them journeyed outside to the crisp night air.

"Don't lost hope, Lopez." Skipper said. "Things will work out."

"How do you know?" Nick muttered bitterly.

"Because the day we lose hope is when we've truly lost." Skipper said. "Being in the Navy taught me that. Discovering a family I didn't know I had helped me learn."

Nick sighed. "She can't see me. I thought she'd still be able to see me even without her powers."

"Who knows why she can't?" Skipper sighed. "It could be that her ability to see ghosts was linked to her powers. Maybe the trauma and stress is overwhelming her."

"We have to fix this somehow." Nick said.

Skipper scoffed. "You got any ideas?"

Nick looked down. "No."

Skipper stared at the stars. "Hope keeps people going. We just have to hold onto it."

Nick followed Skipper's gaze. "Yeah."

* * *

Leland managed to pull Nick away to relax for a while. The stress of the situation seemed to consume Propwash Junction, even for most of the townsfolk who didn't even know what really happened. The two spirits wandered off towards the river, where they found Katherine sitting on the banks and staring out at the landscape.

"Hello." Katherine greeted as the ghosts parked on either side of her.

"Good afternoon." Leland nodded.

"Sup." Nick said. "What are you doing out here?"

"Simply taking in the scenery." Katherine said. "I do this often as a sort of meditation. It's quite relaxing when you feel stressed."

"I'm surprised you're able to be so calm in this entire situation." Nick noted.

"Indeed. You have kept quite the level head." Leland agreed.

"To be honest, I am uncertain if I have been much help." Katherine admitted. "I almost wish I hadn't come."

"Trust us. The fact that you're able to stay so calm is what's keeping most of us sane." Leland assured.

Katherine shrugged a little. "I suppose. For now, I am trying to figure out the best way to at least improve Sky's mood."

"Any ideas how?" Nick asked hopefully.

"None that work out in my head." Katherine said.

The three of them sighed simultaneously.

"Katherine? You've been able to see ghosts for a while, right?" Nick asked.

"My awakening happened when I was ten. I have been able to see ghosts ever since." Katherine explained.

"So, if you weren't a psych-man, would you still be able to see ghosts?" Nick asked.

"Perhaps." Katherine shrugged. "I credit my abilities to my psych-man powers."

"Oh." Nick looked down.

"Still upset that Miss Riley cannot see you?" Leland guessed.

Nick sighed. "Look, she's my best friend who's close to my other best friend. Why wouldn't I be upset over this? I just don't understand how she can lose her ability to see ghosts just because she lost her powers."

"It is possible that the trauma still affects her." Katherine explained. "Her body and mind are still adjusting to the lack of powers, which is probably affecting the rest of her abilities."

"Is there any way to reverse it?" Nick asked. "A cure? An antidote? Anything?"

Katherine stared at the river. "I have spoken with Harley about the possibility. But there is simply no way to give back powers that are taken. They are permanently gone."

* * *

"Blade. Blade, wake up! Wake up! Would you stop that before you wake up Maru? _Hey!"_

Blade's eyes flew open, and he began panting softly. He took a moment to register his surroundings: hotel room, Maru asleep on the bed opposite of him, and Nick floating in front of his nose. Blade felt a strange sense of disorientation and dizziness.

"What happened?" Blade whispered, hoping Maru would sleep heavily tonight.

"You were having a nightmare." Nick whispered back. "I couldn't change it. It was so…..strong, I guess. Nothing I did would change the dream, so I had to wake you up." He looked down. "I'm sorry. I can't change dreams as well as Sky can."

Blade gave a small shrug. "It's fine."

Nick glared. "Don't say that. It's not fine. It is so the opposite of fine!" He flinched when Maru snorted, but the forklift readjusted his position and stayed asleep. Nick lowered his voice. "I can change some dreams, but you get pretty nasty nightmares from time to time, and the only one who can change those nightmares is Sky. You're suffering during those nightmares, and I hate watching you suffer like that."

"Stop painting me as a damn damsel in distress." Blade growled. "You know I hate that."

"I'm not painting you as someone who needs help." Nick corrected. "Everyone suffers in one way or another, but you go through ten times more pain than the normal person."

"Well whose fault was that?" Blade snapped. He instantly regretted saying that.

Nick frowned. "You've been blaming yourself for my accident for years! You know what? It _was_ my fault. I'm the one who went through with a risky maneuver in bad conditions. There was nothing you could've done to save me."

"I could've done a lot to save you but I didn't!" Blade hissed.

"It was an accident."

"That could've been prevented."

Blade and Nick froze when Maru groaned in irritation. "Blade?" Maru grumbled almost incoherently. "Why are you awake?"

"No reason." Blade mumbled.

"Then go back to sleep." Maru ordered, pulling his blanket over his roof and falling asleep again.

Blade sighed softly, and he settled down to sleep again. Nick rested beside his friend, leaning against the living helicopter.

"If I could've done that day over again, I would've listened to my gut instinct that told me to stay on the ground." Nick whispered. "Wait out the wind. But I didn't. And I've been beating myself up for that since the minute my face met the ground."

Blade glanced to Maru. "Maybe…we can try and let go of the past…stop blaming ourselves for something that can't be changed…"

Nick blinked in surprise, but smiled. "I'll try if you do."

Blade smiled softly. "Deal."

* * *

Mater decided they all needed a break from working on the case, and he insisted that Finn, Holley, and Harley join him on a drive around the area.

"I just love how the snow looks on the land." Holley sighed.

"We don't get snow in Radiator Springs very often." Harley shrugged. "But it is awfully pretty. Wish we could get a tour of the town. It's not the same to see it but know nothing about it."

"Do you see much of Miss Riley these days?" Finn asked.

Harley sighed. "No. She doesn't really talk to anyone anymore."

"Ain't that her over there?" Mater asked. They all looked and saw Sky with Dusty, the two of them sitting at a café and talking. Dusty seemed to do most of the talking, and Sky mainly just sulked.

Harley gestured for the others to come with her, and they moved to stand off to one side but still be able to see Sky and Dusty. Harley pressed a button on her watch and fiddled with her earpiece so she could eavesdrop on the racers' conversation.

" _I just think we need to talk about this, Sky. I hate seeing you like this."_

" _Well maybe you need to stop worrying about me."_

" _You can't honestly expect anyone to do that after what happened."_

" _Dusty, we are not having this conversation."_

" _Yes, we are. We can't keep avoiding it. I want to help."_

" _Oh Dodge Ram it, why can't you take a blatantly obvious hint?! I don't want to talk about this! I am not going to complain about how stupid my life is."_

" _How is your life stupid?"_

" _It's not important."_

" _Of course it is. It's something to talk about."_

" _No, it's something that will make me look like the drama queen of a bad soap opera."_

" _That's…a very strange analogy."_

" _Dusty, just drop it."_

" _I will not drop it."_

" _Why not?"_

Harley growled. "Okay. That's it."

"What's it?" Finn asked.

"Sissy, what're ya gonna do?" Mater asked worriedly.

"Like my father always said, 'sometimes you gotta beat a bush instead of beating around it.'" Harley stomped over towards Dusty and Sky, leaving her friends to stare after her.

"I feel we should be worried." Holley said.

"Me too." Finn and Mater agreed.

Harley marched right over and suddenly grabbed Sky's arm, earning a yelp from her. "Excuse me, Dusty. I need to borrow Sky for a moment." Harley didn't wait for a response from Dusty before half-dragging, half-leading Sky away.

Dusty blinked a few times in surprise. "Uh…..okay…"

Sky yelped in surprise and pain. "What is wrong with you?"

"We need to talk." Harley said. "Right now." She rounded the corner and pulled Sky towards the corn fields. They stopped out of earshot from anyone in town, and Harley forced Sky to face her. "I could understand your behavior right after all this started, but now it's just ridiculous. Your friend is reaching out to you and trying to make you feel better, but you're pushing him away."

"I really don't want to talk about this." Sky said, trying to walk around Harley.

"Well, too bad." Harley pushed Sky back to her previous spot. "We're going to talk about it."

"Nobody wants to listen to me complain about my terrible life." Sky argued.

"Your terrible life?" Harley repeated.

Sky let out a loud groan of frustration. "Yes, my terrible life! It's the life of a girl who didn't ask to be a psyche human. The life of a girl who was abandoned for something she couldn't control. The life of a girl who, despite finding a new family who loves her, often questions herself and whether or not her life would've been just as happy if she hadn't been thrown aside like she didn't matter. And then she spends the rest of her life wondering how much she's truly worth." By the end of her rant, Sky sounded as though she tried very hard to not choke up and cry.

Harley's gaze softened. "How come you don't like to talk about this? Talking about those things will help you resolve the problem."

"I can't." Sky sighed. "If I do, it will sound overly dramatic."

"Skylar, there is nothing dramatic about your life." Harley said.

"Oh, come on." Sky scoffed. "Poor little orphan girl who sometimes loathes her powers because she blames them for her abandonment. Yeah, there's nothing dramatic about that."

"That's typical for victims of abandonment, to find something or someone to blame." Harley assured. "Your life is not dramatic. Neither is mine or Katherine's." Harley paused, making sure Sky paid attention to her words. "Look, we live in a world where there are two types of humans: the normal, everyday humans, and us, the psyche humans. We can do things others can't. Unfortunately, one of the flaws of our world is discrimination. There are people who fear what they can't understand. Very often in our lives, we are going to encounter situations where we can't explain our powers. There are even vehicles who are afraid of psych-mans because of our abilities. It's stupid and it's terrible, but it's something we have to deal with."

Sky sighed heavily. "So what? My parents were afraid of me? That's why they gave me up?"

"It could've been that." Harley nodded.

Sky stared out towards the horizon. "I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about my life. There are plenty of good things about it along with the bad stuff. I have so much to be thankful for. Why should I complain?"

Harley smirked. "Dude, you were abandoned as a kid because of your powers, something that you were just born with. Complain about it. There are people who will listen."

Sky smiled softly. She let out a long exhale through her nose. "Why won't you arrest Dean Waller? Is there really not enough evidence, or is that your excuse because you're afraid?"

Harley sighed quietly, following Sky's gaze. She leaned on the fence surrounding the field. "It's not that there's a lack of evidence, there's not enough _solid_ evidence. I'm afraid to move too quickly because I don't want to see Waller walk. If we don't get something solid and undeniable on him, he could slip away and then we may never get him back into a courtroom."

Sky cast Harley a look. "Why do I get the feeling you know this from personal experience?"

"You're quite perceptive, Sky." Harley admitted. "It's a long story."

"I got time." Sky shrugged.

Harley chuckled softly, but she didn't look towards Sky. "Couple years back, I had a boyfriend. Nice guy, at least he seemed like it. One night, I got to see what he was truly like. He tried to rape me. I fought him off, and we went to court so I could see him off to jail. I was able to show my memory of the attempted rape to a judge and two police cars. It was clear and solid evidence that this boy attacked me with the intent to violate me. But the attorney defending my rapist tried to discredit my memory. He wanted everyone to believe that I had made up the entire thing. Like that was something I could just do with my abilities. He almost got away with it."

"So how did he get convicted?" Sky asked.

Harley grinned. "Finn helped take care of it. I get the feeling he sort of scared my ex into admitting everything. That's why we can't make a move against Waller yet. We need something that even a lawyer can't tear apart."

Sky mulled over the thought, and finally nodded in understanding. "Good thing Finn was there for you, huh?"

"Yeah." Harley agreed. "I will always be grateful for that. Underneath the psych-man side of it, a Soul Connection is rooted in the bond we share with one certain vehicle. Finn has become part of my family, like a second father. I even got him a Father's Day card one year, and he couldn't stop smiling." Harley glanced to Sky. "What does Blade mean to you?"

Sky looked back out to the fields again. What _did_ Blade mean to her? How did she label their bond? Were they close friends? No, she definitely considered him family. There was a clear connection between them. A—dare she say it—love they shared. But, then again, when had she ever really told him that? It couldn't just be something they both assumed about each other. How could she know for sure the nature of their bond unless she really asked her Partner about it?

* * *

Katherine spent the entire afternoon thinking, and quite suddenly during dinner she was struck with a brilliant idea. She wheeled herself as fast as she could over to the motel and knocked as politely and hurriedly as she could. Maru opened the door, and he blinked a few times.

"Katherine. What a surprise." Maru said, sounding rather flabbergasted at seeing Katherine at the door.

"Hello Maru." Katherine greeted. She had only met Maru when she arrived here, but she knew he could possibly help her. "I need to speak with Chief Ranger. Is he here?"

"Right over there." Maru gestured across the room, allowing Katherine to wheel herself inside. Blade sat parked by the window, staring at the night sky. Nick rested beside him, unseen by Maru.

Katherine stopped a few feet behind Blade's tail. She cleared her throat. "Chief Ranger?"

"Just call me 'Blade.'" Blade said.

"Right. Blade." Katherine nodded. "Listen, I believe I know a way to help Sky."

Blade perked up a bit. He turned a little ways to look at Katherine. "How?"

"You need to talk to her." Katherine said. "Talk about what's happened. Talk about things you two can do to cope. Talk about where your bond stands now, with Sky no longer a psyche human."

Blade stared at the ground. "It won't work."

"And why not?" Katherine crossed her arms.

"I cause her pain if I get too close." Blade said, turning to stare out the window again.

"Come on, _hermano."_ Nick whispered encouragingly.

"Ya gotta start somewhere, don't ya?" Maru said. "You put some good distance between you two for long enough."

"What am I supposed to say to her?" Blade demanded.

"Have a little heart-to-engine with her." Katherine insisted. "It has become clear to me that your relationship with her is not solidified. You have not defined what that relationship is. The whole point of 'Soul Connection' is two souls bonding so closely that they become one. Hence the name."

"Skip the sass and cut to the point." Blade snapped.

Katherine wheeled herself forward to force Blade to look at her. "My point is there must be some way you can express yourself."

Blade stared at the stars for a moment. He was silent for a long time. Then, his eyes narrowed in thought, and then widened as an idea came to him. "Maybe there is….."

* * *

Skipper was generally a light sleeper, so he easily heard the hurried knock on his hanger doors. He yawned as he opened them, and blinked in confusion when he saw Blade, Maru, and Katherine outside. "Can I help you?"

"Is Sky there?" Blade asked.

"She's asleep." Skipper said.

"Good." Blade nodded, a small smile on his lips. "I need your help. Yours, Sparky's, and Dusty's. I have an idea."

* * *

Skipper and Sparky shooed Sky out of the hanger the next morning, insisting she go out for fresh air. Sky didn't think anything of it. She wanted to take a hike today anyway. Chug, Dottie, Mayday, and Spot Fire joined her. What she didn't know was that Blade had recruited them for his little scheme, and even asked Harley, Finn, Holley, Mater, and Katherine to be lookouts for when the hikers returned. Skipper, Sparky, Dusty, Blade, and Maru all gathered in the motel to work on the project Blade had in mind.

The hiking group had lunch during their trek, and then started coming back to town that afternoon. Mater spotted the group first and alerted the others. Harley radioed Dusty, who announced in a rather panicked tone that Sky would be back any minute. Maru was the unlucky and unwilling volunteer who had to take the finished project back to the Riley hanger. He managed to sneak it inside and then dart away to hide just as Sky came home.

Sky shed her winter gear and sighed heavily. She rather enjoyed her hike, but like all her moods lately, her happiness lay as an overtone to her somberness. She stretched a bit, wondering what she would do with the rest of her day. Then, she noticed something on her bed. It appeared to be a CD in a case, but with no writing on it. On the cover of the case, someone had written "Play me."

"What is this? _Alice in Wonderland_?" Sky murmured, picking up the CD. She settled herself on her bed and pulled out her laptop. She waited patiently as the CD loaded in the player, and the player screen popped up. When Sky pressed _PLAY_ , her eyes widened a little in surprise to see Blade.

" _Do I really have to do this? Can't we just write this out or something?"_ Blade asked the camera.

" _Come on. It'll mean more if you say it."_ Dusty's voice said off-screen.

" _All right."_ Blade cleared his throat. _"Hello, Raven. I know the last couple weeks have been tough."_

" _Understatement of the century!"_ Maru's voice called off-screen.

Blade shot Maru a look. _"But we….uh, I want to help. A lot of people know you like to use music to help with whatever you're feeling. I would do that, but I can't sing to save my life. But, if I could, I would've chosen this song."_ He glanced around, albeit awkwardly. _"All right, shut off the camera."_

" _Wait. Figuring out how."_ Dusty said.

" _Haven't you used one of those before?"_ Maru asked.

" _Not recently!"_ Dusty protested.

" _Oh give me that!"_ Skipper's voice said before the video cut to black.

Sky raised an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth turning up into a grin. Then, the video changed to show a young, eleven-year-old Sky. She smiled broadly at the camera.

" _Hi! This is Skylar Amelia Riley, and this is my first video recording with my new camera!"_ young Sky said. _"Today, I'm gonna show my new home!"_ Young Sky moved the camera around to show the hanger. _"This is my new hanger/house in a cool town called Propwash Junction. That's Sparky. Say 'hi!' Sparky!"_

" _Hi Sparky!"_ Sparky waved.

Young Sky laughed, moving the camera to show Skipper. _"And that's my dad! Say 'hi' Dad!"_

" _No."_ Skipper replied dully, not looking up from a book he read. But he smirked when young Sky began giggling hysterically.

The video changed again, this time showing a seventeen-year-old Sky. _"This is Skylar Amelia Riley, and this is Dusty Crophopper."_ The camera moved to show Dusty, donned in his old orange-and-white paintjob and his crop dusting sprayer. Dusty waved a wing towards the camera, and Sky managed to poke her head in so both racers could be seen. _"And we are at JFK Airport for our first night in the Wings Around the Globe Rally! Look out, world! Here we come!"_

" _Yeah, baby!"_ Dusty whooped.

The video changed one last time, and now a nineteen-year-old Sky was seen. _"This is Skylar Amelia Riley recording from beautiful Piston Peak National Park, and today is my and Dusty's first day working here as firefighters!"_ The camera moved to show each of the other firefighters on the base. _"That's Dipper. There's Windlifter. Over there is Cabbie. Those are the Smokejumpers: Dynamite, Drip, Avalanche, Pinecone, and Blackout. Patch is up there in the tower. That's Maru in the garage. He's a bit of a grump, but he's pretty cool."_

" _I heard that!"_ Maru called from the garage.

The camera shifted as Sky laughed. _"And that's Blade! He's the base chief and my Soul Connect Partner! Say 'hi' to the camera, Blade!"_

" _Keep that camera away from me."_ Blade droned.

Sky gave an airy laugh, and she watched the video fade to black. Music began to play from the speakers, and a slideshow of pictures Sky took began. As the music continued, Sky saw many more pictures of her and her loved ones, both at Propwash Junction and Piston Peak. Home videos she recorded would play at different parts of the song, including the time Maru took her camera and she chased him around the base to get it back.

Tears formed in Sky's eyes, but she smiled nonetheless. Her grin grew so big her cheeks started to hurt. She giggled a few times, and then let out a full laugh. The meaning of the song was not lost on her, and she felt an overwhelming sense of thankfulness. She almost couldn't believe the lengths everyone went to in order to cheer her up.

The final images in the video showed two family portraits Sky took. One of them was her Propwash Junction family: Skipper, Sparky, Dusty, Dottie, Chug, Mayday, and Max. The other was Piston Peak: Blade, Windlifter, Cabbie, Maru, Dipper, Patch, and the Smokejumpers. Sky couldn't stop her tears, and she had to use her pillow to dry her eyes.

"I told you that would make her cry!"

"Shut up!"

"Maybe we could've used a different song?"

"That one made the most sense for this."

"But you made her cry!"

Sky glanced to the window, and she pulled a ladder over to the glass. She climbed up, opened the window, and looked down to see Blade, Skipper, Sparky, Dusty, and Maru just outside.

"I know it's like an emotional release or whatever." Maru shrugged. "But she's done enough crying, don't you think?"

"Happy tears are good tears." Dusty said.

"We don't know for sure how she reacted." Skipper said. "All we know is she had an emotional release."

"Maybe someone should go check on her?" Sparky suggested. All of them talked in hushed tones, not realizing their cover was blown.

Sky cleared her throat, and the group of men jumped and spun around to face her. "Oh, hey Sky." Dusty greeted weakly.

"What's up, Raven?" Maru chuckled nervously.

Sky raised an eyebrow at them, and then rolled her eyes. "You guys are all dorks." She smiled warmly. "But you're my dorks." She shut the window, leaving everyone outside to stare at the glass.

"Hey, it worked!" Sparky cheered.

"Not bad, Ranger." Skipper admitted. Blade only grinned in response, his gaze still on the window.

Dusty smiled broadly, and he switched on his radio. "Hey Harley? It's Dusty. Mission accomplished."

Across town, Harley let out a whoop and a cheer. She made the call out to the others. "Attention everyone. Operation Soul Connect was a success. I repeat, the mission was a success."

* * *

Blade didn't really know what to expect when Skipper requested that he come over that evening. When he arrived, Skipper directed him to the cliff near his home. Blade made his way over, and he noticed Sky sitting on a large rock near the edge of the cliff. She stared out at the horizon, watching the sunset. Blade hesitated, staring at her.

"Go on." Nick whispered. "Get over there."

"And if it hurts her?" Blade questioned.

"You know Maru will duct tape you two together if you don't." Nick pointed out.

Blade remembered that threat, and he learned a long time ago to not take a threat from Maru lightly. He sighed, and then rolled forward. He waited for Sky to yelp in pain or jump, but she only reacted to his approach by turning around.

"Hey." Sky greeted.

Blade nodded in greeting. "Mind if I join you?"

"Please do." Sky gestured to the spot next to her. Blade parked next to the rock, and he followed Sky's gaze out towards the pink-purple clouds. Nick settled on the other side of Sky. The three of them remained silent, enjoying the view and each other's company. The calm serenity felt like heat radiating from the sun. After so much stress for so many days, the tranquility was welcomed. Blade had initially wondered why Maru asked him to just go and be with Sky, but he soon realized he didn't have anything he really wanted to talk about. Sky, too, didn't feel like talking. They just sat there and watched the sun go down.

Finally, Sky broke the silence.

"I love you, Blade." she murmured.

Blade stared at Sky in surprise, but then smiled softly. "I love you, too."

Sky's eyes locked with Blade's, and she smiled warmly. She scooted closer to Blade and leaned over to rest against his side. Blade tensed up, waiting for the pain, but shockingly found nothing. His smile grew, and he sighed silently.

Nick wanted to do a flip, he was so excited. But he didn't dare react so loudly in fear of ruining this tender moment. He simply moved closer to Sky as they resumed their sunset-watching. Then, Nick felt something soft on his landing gear, and he looked down to see Sky had placed her hand on one of his landing gear skids. Whether she did this unconsciously or not, Nick didn't know nor care.

Things were finally looking up.

* * *

"Don't think you're gonna replace me with a younger model!" Maru grumbled.

"We are not replacing you, Maru." Blade droned, rolling his eyes. "But if you ever became incapacitated for any reason, we need someone on deck who can do your job. Raven is best suited for it."

"I do have quite a bit of mechanical and medicinal knowledge." Sky shrugged.

"Oh yeah?" Maru raised an eye frame. "You wanna bet on that?"

"We can go to Dottie and Sparky right now and they can tell you themselves." Sky challenged.

"Deal!" Maru nodded. "Let's go!"

Blade rolled his eyes again, but allowed Maru and Sky to detour their stroll to head towards the Fill N' Fly. Nick snickered quietly. Sky's better mood affected all of them, and for once nobody felt any tension.

"Hey Sky." Harley greeted as she and Finn joined their group. Leland floated by Finn's side, and he gave Nick a nod in greeting.

"Whatcha up to?" Sky asked.

"Trying to clear my head." Harley shrugged. "You?"

"Maru here thinks I can't do his job as well as he can." Sky said. "I'm about to prove him wrong."

"We'll see about that." Maru smirked.

Harley giggled. "You know, I saw your father, Sparky, and Dusty at the Fill N' Fly. They were talking to someone who looked a lot like you. I almost mistook her for you."

"Oh yeah?" Sky asked, rather perplexed.

"Uh, yeah." Maru confirmed. "Look."

Everyone looked up as they approached the Fill N' Fly, and they saw Dusty, Skipper, and Sparky still talking with a teenager who did indeed look like Sky. She had black hair and pretty cerulean eyes, contrasted against her tan skin. She wore jeans, snow boots, and an evergreen parka. She talked pleasantly with Dusty, Skipper, and Sparky while she twirled her pageboy-cut hair.

"Hey Sky!" Dusty greeted when the others came up. "This girl was looking for you."

Sky wasn't too surprised. For all they knew, this girl was another racing fan. So she smiled warmly. "Hi there."

The teenager, who looked no older than sixteen, suddenly gushed at the sight of Sky. "Wow. It's really you. You're Skylar."

"That's me." Sky confirmed. "Most people call me 'Sky.' What's your name?"

"Oh, of course!" the girl laughed. "Sorry, I completely forgot my manners. I'm CJ."

"CJ." Sky repeated. "Short for something?"

"Well, my first name is Cecilia, but that's also my mom's name, so technically I'm a Cecilia Junior. So I go by CJ." CJ explained. "CJ Smith."

Sky's smile shrunk. "Smith?"

"Yeah." CJ nodded excitedly. She laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm just so flustered and excited. I've waited so long to meet you. We're all very proud of your racing career."

"We?" Blade repeated.

"Oh, me and my parents. Hold on." CJ looked around, and suddenly waved. "Hey Mom! Dad! I found her! She's over here!"

Everyone looked as a middle-aged couple walked up. The man had black hair, dark hazel eyes, and tan skin. He wore jeans, snow boots, a black shirt, and a dark blue snow jacket. The woman beside him had fair skin, honey blonde hair pulled into a messy bun, and sapphire blue eyes. She wore jeans, black snow boots, gray earmuffs, a gray shirt, and a black parka.

Only Sky recognized the pair. "You."

The woman sighed with a wide smile. "Oh Skylar. It's you."

"My, look how you've grown." The man said. "You're so much taller."

Sky glared hard. "Sixteen years will do that to a person."

The man chuckled. "Of course. Goodness, you and CJ look so similar."

"Cut the slag, you jackass!" Sky snapped.

"Skylar!" Skipper gawked.

"What's the matter with you?" Harley demanded.

Blade analyzed Sky's body language. Her shoulders hunched slightly and her fists clenched. Her eyes settled into a seemingly permanent glare. Overall, she looked absolutely furious at this man and woman. "Sky, who are these people?"

Sky let out a sigh through her nose. "This is Joseph and Cecilia Smith. They're my birth parents."

* * *

 **A/N: I am so not sorry for leaving this at a cliffhanger. I wish I could see your reactions!**


	18. Finally Free

**Chapter Eighteen – Finally Free**

Everyone stood frozen in shock for a moment.

Then Skipper glared. "I echo my daughter's sentiments."

"Skipper." Sparky hissed.

Joseph looked to the Corsair. "Oh dear. _You_ raised my daughter?"

"Since when was I your daughter?" Sky demanded. "Last I checked, you abandoned me."

"Sweetheart, we did not abandon you." Cecilia said.

"Yeah, they were helping you." CJ said, as though trying to remind Sky of this "fact."

"You 'helped' by leaving her at school for Rosa to pick up?" Dusty asked.

Harley, Finn, and Leland didn't fully understand the situation. Harley tried to remember what Sky said about her parents, but she only recalled the fact that they left her and she was adopted by Skipper years later. But even though the spies didn't have all the information, they could conclude that the tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a dull knife.

"I just have to say, it's so nice to meet you, Mr. Crophopper." CJ said. "I'm a big fan of you and my sister."

"Uh, thanks." Dusty said.

"Now leave." Maru droned.

"Maru." Blade hissed.

"It would be nice to know why you're here." Sparky said, trying to make his voice come out stronger. He, too, felt a strong dislike for Sky's birth parents. But, like Sky, he had always wanted to ask why they left her.

"We came to talk to our daughter." Joseph said.

"She is _not_ your daughter." Skipper growled.

"She's my blood." Joseph countered.

"That don't make her your kid." Maru snapped.

"I agree." Blade said in an even tone. His professional attitude that came with being a fire chief battled with his personal desire to run over Sky's birth father. But he could tell Sky appreciated some calm in this chaos. The tension seeped into her like water soaking into a sponge, and Blade didn't want her to explode from her anger because he knew it would just make things worse.

"Please, could we have some time alone with our daughter?" Cecilia asked politely.

"Why should we let you?" Dusty demanded.

"Because we have the right to speak to our own child." Joseph said.

CJ approached Sky and took her hand. "Skylar, please. I want to know my sister. Our parents had a good reason for what they did."

"For abandoning me?" Sky asked, her voice almost monotone.

"They didn't abandon you." CJ insisted. "They told me everything. Hear them out and you will see that they helped you. Please?"

Sky stared at CJ for a long moment. Why did she hesitate? This was the one moment she wished for since she was a child. She finally had her chance to find out why her parents gave her up. At the same time, she was so angry that they had the nerve to crawl back to her. They were pathetic little wastes of flesh who didn't deserve her love, respect, or even slightest bit of attention. Everyone watched for Sky's reaction, knowing that ultimately this was her decision.

A deep inhale through the nose, and then out again. "Okay." Sky said.

"You sure, sweetheart?" Skipper asked, not paying attention to Joseph's eye roll.

"Yes. It's fine." Sky looked to Joseph and Cecilia, and she put an arm around CJ's shoulders. "Come on. Let's go to Honkers."

"You drink?" Joseph asked, a little surprised.

"I do now." Sky muttered as she and her birth family walked off.

"Maru, you care to join me in getting the first aid kit for when this descends into chaos?" Sparky asked.

"You read my mind." Maru said, he and Sparky driving off.

"We're not really going to leave Sky alone with those people, are we?" Dusty asked.

"Of course not." Skipper assured. "Over my dead body."

"I agree with Commander Riley." Harley said. "We need someone with them."

"But they won't have the same conversation if someone is there with them." Finn pointed out. "If we're going to be with Miss Riley, we need someone whom they won't detect."

"Like someone who won't even be seen." Blade agreed. "Nick? Leland?"

"You don't even have to ask." Nick assured.

"We're on it." Leland said. The two ghosts spirited away, following Sky and her birth family.

"This is not going to end well." Skipper sighed.

"Well, there's a chance it might end all right." Dusty said hopefully. Blade and Skipper cast him a look. Even Finn looked doubtful. Dusty thought about it. "Maybe…or….not….."

* * *

Joseph ordered a beer. Cecilia had a spruce goose margarita. CJ just had a lemonade. Sky ordered a Jameson whiskey on the rocks, because she knew she would need something strong to get her through this. As expected, nobody spoke for a few minutes while country music rang out from the jukebox. Leland and Nick perched themselves on the rafters, still able to hear the quartet when they began to speak. Nick even swiped a can of oil for each of them.

"So are you in high school?" Sky asked CJ.

"Oh, I actually graduated from high school early." CJ said. "I go to school at University of Central Florida in Orlando and I have a part-time job at Universal Studios."

"Well that sounds fun." Sky admitted.

"Not as cool as being a world-renowned racer." CJ said. "You and Dusty Crophopper are awesome!"

Sky smiled a little. "Thanks."

"You know, this is a lovely town where you've been staying." Cecilia said. "So quaint."

"It's a great place to live." Sky said. "I love it."

"We live out in Florida." CJ said. "Much, much warmer there, even in the winter. All this winter gear I have was Christmas presents for our trip up to Canada over winter break. We came through here on our way back because Mom and Dad said you were ready to come home."

"Oh yeah?" Sky asked, taking another swig of her drink. "What exactly is your definition of 'home' for me?"

"With your family." CJ said, her smile a mile wide. "Look, I know this might be a little crazy for you. But everything's going to be great now."

Sky analyzed CJ's words and behavior. She seemed genuinely excited to see her sister again, and she didn't have the slightest bit of snide in her tone. CJ was an innocent in the situation. She didn't fully understand what happened. So how did she know about Sky? Sky looked to her birth parents. "Why did you give me up?"

"They didn't." CJ said hurriedly. She looked to her parents. "Go on. Tell her what you told me."

Sky stared at her birth parents. This was key. Whatever they told CJ was a lie, and she had to pick it apart.

"Well, we hope you don't truly believe we abandoned you." Cecilia started. "What we did was put you someplace where you could grow up better until it was time for you to come home. It's like boarding school. We didn't have the ability to care for you at the time, so we sent you someplace where you could be raised better."

"Of course, we didn't expect you to be raised by a plane." Joseph said. "But you turned out well. And when we knew for sure you were ready, we came out to come get you. We'd like to take you home to Florida with us. I'm sure you received excellent schooling, and your status as a racer is sure to get you into a good university."

Sky stared at her birth parents. "Are you serious? You really think I want to come back with you?"

"Well, don't you?" CJ asked, sounding a little confused. "Come on. You can finally come home."

"You really told her I was sent to something that was similar to boarding school?" Sky demanded, still staring at Joseph and Cecilia. "You left me at school and a foster mother picked me up to take me to her orphanage."

"The point is we sent you someplace where you could become improved." Joseph said.

"Improved how?" Sky growled.

CJ was becoming even more confused. "Your powers are gone, right?"

Sky stared at her sister. "My powers? My psych-man abilities?"

"Yeah." CJ nodded. "They're gone, right?"

Sky's head spun. "How did you know that?" Her gaze whipped around to her parents. "Is that why you came back?"

"Well of course." Cecilia said.

"You don't have your powers anymore, so you can come home." Joseph explained.

"But how did you know?" Sky demanded. "I lost my powers a long time ago. Why come now?"

"I don't understand." CJ said. "You aren't happy?"

Sky gave her a small glare. "Is that what they—" She jerked her head towards Joseph and Cecilia. "—told you? That I didn't want my powers anymore?" CJ wanted to answer, but her words became caught in her throat.

"Uncle Joe! Aunt Cecilia!" A high-pitched whine called over the music. "There aren't any good coffee shops in this corn-fed hick town."

Sky jumped to her feet and spun around just as the source of the whine stopped at the table. Samantha Waller stared at Sky, her jaw dropped.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" Sky and Samantha snapped simultaneously.

"I live here, stupid." Sky sassed.

"Well great." Samantha groaned dramatically. "Of course I get dragged on this detour in my lovely family road trip just to run into trash like you."

"Now, Samantha." Cecilia scolded. "Be nice to your cousin."

Sky spun around to stare at her. "Cousin?"

Leland choked on his drink. "Come again?"

"Samantha is our niece." Joseph explained. "Her father is my brother."

Sky's jaw dropped and she almost fell over from shock. "You're saying…her father…Dean George Waller at the Academy of Psyche Students….he's my uncle?!"

Nick spit out his drink, the spray covering Leland and causing him to exclaim in disgust.

"Yes." Joseph said, sounding surprised by the shock. "I had my and Cecilia's names changed after we sent you away."

"Why?" Sky demanded.

"Because we didn't want Ms. Lopez to find us." Cecilia said. "We wanted to decide for ourselves when you were ready to come home."

"So Waller told you about my powers being taken?" Sky guessed.

"He told us how he helped cure you." Joseph corrected.

Sky gawked. "You know about the serum?"

"What serum?" Samantha demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"Shut up!" Sky snapped. She glared at her birth parents. "You know, don't you?"

"When George told us he had perfected the cure, I practically begged him to use it on you so we could have our daughter back." Joseph said. "I even offered to help pay your tuition at the academy. Good old Georgie, he didn't take a dime. Gave you a full scholarship on the spot."

Sky was almost overwhelmed with fury. "You knew this entire time? You knew that Waller was going to take my powers and you just went along with it?"

"We asked for it." Joseph said. "It's for the best."

"For the best?" Sky's voice raised in volume. "You took away the very thing that made me who I am and basically ruined my life because you thought it was for the best?!"

"Skylar Amelia Waller, do not take that tone with your father." Joseph said sternly, rising from his seat.

"Dad, calm down." CJ said meekly. This entire situation had dissolved to near-chaos, and she didn't know what to make of it.

"Excuse me." The entire table turned as Leadbottom approached, and Sky saw that her outburst caught the attention of most of the bar. Leadbottom cast a disapproving glance to Joseph. "Skylar, is this man bothering you?"

"Excuse me, but this is a private matter." Joseph told the biplane.

"On what grounds?" Leadbottom demanded.

"I'm trying to have a talk with my daughter." Joseph said matter-of-factly.

Leadbottom blinked. "You ain't her father."

"Yes, I am." Joseph insisted.

"No, you're not." Brodi came up behind Sky, and Samantha shied away out of disgust. Brodi hardly paid any attention. "Skipper Riley, who lives here in town, is Sky's dad."

"He is a guardian." Joseph corrected. "I am her true father."

"Oh, so I guess you're the little scumbag who abandoned her." Leadbottom said.

"You are mistaken, sir." Cecilia said.

"Really?" Leadbottom growled.

"Yeah, last I checked, leaving your kid at school to be picked up by an orphanage counts as abandonment." A truck at the bar called. Now, pretty much everyone in Honkers stared at them, and they didn't look at Joseph and Cecilia kindly. Someone even turned down the music, and a monster truck's engine could be heard revving angrily.

"This does not concern you." Joseph told Leadbottom.

"It concerns me because it concerns her." Leadbottom said, gesturing to Sky. "Skylar Amelia Riley is part of Propwash Junction, which makes her part of the Propwash Junction family."

"That means if she's having a problem, she's gonna have _a lot_ of people backing her up." Brodi said. At once, every patron in Honkers stood and faced the table, ready for any fight that might break out. Samantha immediately bolted out the door.

Joseph tried to not look intimidated, despite his true feelings showing through. "Skylar Waller, come along. We are going home—" He had tried to reach for Sky's arm as he said this, but Sky suddenly threw a fist and punched Joseph right in the nose. Cecilia screamed from her shock, and everyone else in the bar either laughed or whistled in approval. Joseph lay on the ground, staring at Sky in shock while holding his bloody nose.

It took every ounce of willpower Sky had to control her anger. "You listen very closely." She growled. "I want you to leave. I never want you to come back here again. All these years, I wondered why you gave me up and I sometimes blamed myself. But now I see that you are nothing more than a pair of conceited, selfish jerks. I don't ever want to see you again. I am happy here, and that happiness was found and kept without you in my life!"

Joseph looked like he wanted to argue, but one glare from Leadbottom and he thought otherwise. He shakily stood up and grabbed his jacket, ushering his wife and daughter from Honkers. CJ looked back once, and Sky's gaze softened. CJ opened her mouth, but ultimately decided to close it and hurried after her parents.

Dusty had waited outside Honkers in case Sky came out running, but was surprised when the Smith family hurried out the door like the devil was on their heels. Leland and Nick materialized beside him.

"What happened in there?" Dusty asked the ghosts.

"You are _not_ going to believe this." Nick said.

Inside the bar, the patrons began settling down and returning to their business. Leadbottom looked to Sky. "You all right, kid?"

Sky smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, Leadbottom."

"Hey, I still think you stole away my best crop duster with all that racin' business." Leadbottom assured. "But you're part of this town. You need backup, you got it."

Sky laughed and shook her head. "Well, I still think you're a grumpy old crop duster who's obsessed with mulch. But I would back you up any day if you had a problem."

* * *

Dusty, Nick, and Leland wisely waited until the Smith family and Samantha left in a taxi before they reported what they learned in the conversation with Sky. Skipper nearly blew his top, but managed to lower his oil pressure with Sparky's help. Sky wasn't anywhere around. Apparently, she had stayed at Honkers to finish her drink and chat with some of the Propwash Junction residents.

"That's why Waller targeted her." Finn realized. "It wasn't out of spite. He was doing a family favor because he, like his brother and his wife, believed it was right."

"But it wasn't right." Dusty protested. "It's sick and twisted and stupid."

"He believed it was right." Finn repeated. "Nothing could've swayed his mind."

"Well, we found the missing piece." Harley said. "I'd be willing to bet it really was Waller who sent those men to kill Blade."

"So can we take Waller to court now?" Maru demanded.

"Yeah, because his own brother—who is basically an accomplice—is going to testify." Harley said sarcastically.

"That case is never going to be closed, is it?" Skipper asked.

Harley looked down. Finn nodded. "Most likely."

"There has to be some way to catch him." Blade growled.

"There isn't." Finn affirmed. "He accomplished his mission, and he's taken every opportunity to avoid being tried, much less found guilty. We lost him."

"You're absolutely sure?" Dusty asked.

"He won't be making any more moves." Finn confirmed. "He'll most likely destroy his research before we can find it."

Dusty sighed. Skipper gave him an encouraging nudge. "Dusty, not every battle can be won. We've made progress with Sky in helping her adjust. Let's put our energy into finishing that job. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Get out there, Ranger." Maru ordered.

"Can't remember the last time you ordered me around like that." Blade said, dry sarcasm coating his tone.

"Listen to your mechanic, Blade." Skipper said. "You did it once. You can do it again. Go on."

Blade rolled his eyes, but resigned himself. "When did the fire chief start taking orders?" He muttered.

"When he got that order from a Navy commander and his mechanic." Maru said. "Shoo."

Blade rolled his eyes again and moved forward, heading towards Sky. Maru and Skipper returned to their business, satisfied in convincing Blade to do their bidding. Nick floated beside him. "Right with ya, partner." Nick whispered.

"Thanks, partner." Blade said. He came up behind Sky, the raven-haired woman sitting on her favorite cliff spot with her guitar. Upon hearing her singing, Blade and Nick paused to listen.

 _Thought I couldn't live without you  
Thought you had to be by my side  
So the day you went and left me  
For a week, yeah I cried_

 _But now I see_

 _You never cared about me  
Never even said "I love you"  
Doesn't hurt to know now  
I never needed you too  
We're gonna move on with our lives  
'Cause I don't need you by my side  
You can't tell me who to be  
I'm gonna live my life_

Sky paused, and she turned around. A smile spread across her lips. "Hey Blade."

"Hey Raven." Blade greeted, happy to see that smile. "Mind if I join you?"

"Please do." Sky said, gesturing to the spot next to her rock.

Blade parked himself beside her. "Nick is here too."

Sky lifted up a hand and stretched it out. "I think I feel him."

"Yeah. Yeah, almost." Nick nodded. Though Sky's hand when through him, he could actually feel her hand going through his ghostly body.

"How do you feel?" Blade asked.

Sky leaned her head back and sighed heavily. "Free. Honestly, I feel free. I don't feel like I have to wait around for my parents anymore." She laughed, and Blade couldn't help smiling at that musical sound he missed so much. Sky's eyes had their usual light back in them. "I can't tell you how happy I am. How free I feel. That's really the best way to describe it. I'm free. I never have to wonder about my birth parents again. I know their true feelings, and now I know for sure that they are just a couple of jerks that I don't need in my life. It's like a semi-truck has been lifted off my very soul." She laughed again. "That sounds corny, huh?"

Blade gave her a nuzzle. "Not in the slightest."

Sky leaned into his touch. "You know, this is one of the many times that I realize why Nick held you in such high regard."

"Oh yeah?" Blade cast a look to Nick that said, "What have you been saying about me?"

"You are one of the most loyal friends anyone could ask for." Sky said. "I asked you to stay away, but you were always close enough to keep an eye on me. I might complain about it, but I do appreciate it."

Blade grinned. "Well, I can see why he got along with you so quickly. I never thought I'd meet someone as rough as Maru yet as kind as Dipper."

"I'm going to take that comparison to Maru as a compliment." Sky guessed.

"It might not sound like it at first." Blade admitted. Sky laughed again, and Blade chuckled. "You know, this reminds me of something Nick told me back when we first met."

"Oh yeah?" Sky asked.

"We had gotten to know each other over the first couple months, and very soon it became apparent that we acted like brothers." Blade explained. "Next thing I knew, our families were getting together like we had always been just one family. I sometimes liked to marvel at how close we became. Then, Nick told me something that actually made sense for once."

"When do I not make sense?" Nick scoffed.

"What did he tell you?" Sky asked.

"He told me, 'Family is not the blood you carry, but the bonds you share.'" Blade said. "Even now, I can see how right he is."

Sky smiled broadly, and she nodded in agreement. She scooted closer to Blade, leaning against the helicopter. Blade glanced to her, and then out to the horizon. Secretly, he began to concentrate. _Come on, come on. Work. Please just work. Please, please just let them come back. Let it come back._

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the Soul Connect Thread to appear again.

* * *

 **A/N: Song credit: me! That's an original poem I wrote!**


	19. Back to the Academy

**Chapter Nineteen – Back to the Academy**

Harley and Katherine only had to roam Propwash Junction for a minute or two before they found Sky sitting at the Fill N' Fly with a cup of hot chocolate.

"When does the snow melt around here?" Harley asked, blowing warm air into her gloved hands.

"Not for a while." Sky admitted. "It'll be early spring before we see much more besides white."

"Well, we came by to tell you we are heading home soon." Katherine announced.

Sky perked up at this, and her eyebrows lowered in sadness. She had grown accustomed to seeing her friends around town. "Back home?"

"My parents are expecting me home soon." Katherine explained. "They are growing worried for me, and for you."

"Tell them thanks for the concern." Sky said.

"Finn convinced me that we should head back home to Radiator Springs and take a break from spy work." Harley said. "This is….uh, the first time I experienced defeat in the spy job."

Sky shrugged, even though she still felt immense irritation at the situation. "I want you guys to come back and visit when you can, okay? I really appreciate everything you two have done for me."

"You're a good friend, Sky." Katherine said. "I am indebted to you and Harley for your friendship."

"Friendship isn't a favor, it's a commitment." Sky said, laughing a little.

"It's a relationship." Harley added. "You're our friend, and you owe us nothing."

Katherine smiled broadly. "I'm just so happy to know you. When people meet me, they either tiptoe around me or tease me because of…well, you know." She patted one of the wheels on her chair. "But you stood by me. Sky, you took down a bully even after I had given up that fight. I would jump at the opportunity to do the same for you." She glanced to her legs. "Figuratively speaking."

"Hey, don't put so much pressure on yourself." Sky said, hugging her friend. "You don't need good legs, just a good heart."

"I think both of you have that covered." Harley assured.

"You too." Sky agreed.

Harley shrugged. "I dunno if I'm completely certain on that."

"Why's that?" Sky asked.

"You're one of the kindest persons I know." Katherine added.

"Yeah, but sometimes I wonder about nature vs. nurture, especially in my circumstances." Harley looked out towards the horizon. "Remember when I mentioned that I was an orphan too? Well, my parents died in a murder-suicide incident. My parents were not perfect. My dad had a criminal record and, frankly, had quite a few screws loose. My mom was desperate and borderline mentally unstable. Birth dad killed birth mom and himself. Somehow I managed to survive."

"But you were four." Sky said. "You were actually raised by your adoptive father, and you probably took after him more than your birth father."

Harley bobbed her head. "I do see Doc in me. But there are times when I wonder if some of my dad's flawed traits carried into me at all. I can be rather stubborn; and when my temper flares, I'm not the most likeable person. Like you, Sky, I was broken when my parents died. But through everything else that I've been through in my life—even losing my surrogate father—I see myself becoming a better person. You've done the same."

Sky smiled broadly. The three girls shared a warm group hug. Then, Sky sighed. "Harley, are you sure we have to let Waller go? We can't really just leave this as it is."

"Believe me, I have exhausted myself trying to figure something out." Harley groaned. "Finn even changed the password on my computer so I couldn't work anymore."

Katherine and Sky giggled. "Still, I agree with Sky." Katherine said. "Is there any way we can expose Waller before he hurts anyone else?"

"His target was Sky." Harley said. "He risked getting burned up in a fire and possibly arrested to give her the serum. Would he really risk arrest to try it again on another psyche human?"

"I suppose not." Katherine admitted.

"Then let's get him convicted for what he did to me and the other psyche humans he already hurt." Sky suggested. "There has to be some way to prove that he did it. No one in Propwash Junction really knew him or what he did, but there has to be someone else. Were there any witnesses? To anything that happened?"

"None." Harley shook her head. "And the few we actually got were very unreliable. Finn and I interviewed family members of the victims, people in the area of the crime scene, and we even talked to doctors and police officers. But we got squat."

Sky tapped her cocoa cup with her nail. Her eyes lit up with an idea. "Wait a minute. When I was the Academy for Psyche Students, dozens of people saw my powers at work. Most of the school saw the Soul Connect Thread between me and Blade. What if we talked to some of the students? That's a whole slew of witnesses."

"Nice thought process." Harley admitted. "I thought of the same thing, and then realized that the odds of anyone currently at the school recognizing us are unlikely. I was there longer than you, and students rotate out often. They'll recognize you because of your celebrity status, but there's no telling if anyone will remember or recognize Blade."

"What about my dad or Sparky?" Sky asked.

"Family relations. Too much risk for bias in a courtroom." Harley replied.

Sky groaned in frustration. "This is so stupid!"

"Tell me about it." Harley rolled her eyes.

Sky stared at the ground, tapping her cup with her nail again. Her thoughts ran a mile a minute. She groaned in frustration again. "Damn it!"

"Come now, there's no need for that language." Katherine said soothingly.

"I just can't believe this." Sky said. "I don't like accepting a no-win situation. I'm a firefighter. We fight and win. We don't just sit down and do nothing."

Harley put a comforting hand on Sky's shoulder. "Believe me, I hate this too. Finn and even Sheriff have been trying to help me understand why this kind of job works the way it does. What we need is a third party, in a sense. Someone who is not related to us in any way but maybe knows us. Someone who has seen things that can level the case—" Harley paused. "Wait a minute. Professor Wheeler!"

"Our Connections 101 professor?" Sky said quizzically.

"Yeah!" Harley grew excited. "He has a Partner too, and he has the power to see other Soul Connect Threads. When Blade came into class that day, Professor Wheeler saw the Thread himself. If we can show that the thread isn't there anymore, he could be our key witness."

"Will that work?" Sky asked hopefully.

"Let's go ask Finn!" Harley took off, Sky and Katherine close behind her.

Sky accidentally bumped into someone on the way. "Sorry!"

"No problem!" the young man said, walking off.

Sky continued with her friends, but she looked back. "What's up?" Harley asked.

"Nothing." Sky said. "I didn't recognize that guy. He must be new."

* * *

Dusty and Blade were talking with Harley's spy friends when the girls came running up. Finn and Leland were initially concerned when Harley came up to them with something regarding the case. But when they heard Harley's idea to bring in Professor Thomas Wheeler as a witness, they brightened up.

"A brilliant idea, Harley." Finn said. "Classes at the academy should have resumed by now. We should retrieve Professor Wheeler ASAP."

"Let's go!" Harley nodded.

"Whoo-hoo!" Sky cheered as she began following.

"Whoa, whoa!" Harley stopped and held up a hand to gently push Sky back. "You're not coming."

"What?" Sky whined. "Aw, come on!"

"No, Sky." Harley said firmly. "We'll handle this. We're the professionals. You stay here where it's safe."

"Ugh, where it's safe?" Sky groaned. "Are you kidding me?"

"Sky, are you forgetting that Waller is probably at the school and that he's a total psychopath?" Harley demanded. "He kidnapped you and took away your powers. He's also the same psychopath who sent people to kill him!" She pointed at Blade.

"When are they going to let that go?" Blade muttered. Nick snickered quietly.

"Harley, this concerns me as much as it concerns you." Sky growled. "I'm coming with you."

"You most certainly are not." Harley snapped. "You and Katherine are staying right here."

"I'd like to see you make me!" Sky scoffed.

Katherine saw Harley's glare deepen. "Oh dear."

"Skylar Amelia Riley, you are staying here and letting me handle this or—so help me, Chrysler—I will hogtie you and throw your sorry arse into a barn!" Harley shouted.

Sky cringed. "Did you get your talent for threats from your dad too?"

"Actually I got that from Sheriff." Harley corrected. "Now stay!"

"Harley, let's move out!" Finn urged. Harley nodded and hurried after her friends.

"But—" Sky moaned in irritation as the spies departed. "This is so lame."

"You realize your dad would never let you go anyway, right?" Dusty pointed out. "Skipper would blow his top and might even have an engine aneurism."

"I was raised and trained to be a lot of things, Dusty." Sky huffed, ticking off each thing on her fingers. "I'm a Jolly Wrench, a racer, and a firefighter. None of those occupations involve giving up when things get tough."

"This isn't about things getting tough." Dusty protested. "This is about how things could get worse. Waller already succeeded in stealing your powers. What if he takes it to the next level and goes so far as to kill you?"

"We don't know if he'll actually do that." Sky said. "We're family, after all." She didn't look thrilled to admit that.

"Perhaps Dusty and Harley are right, Sky." Katherine said. "We should leave this to the professionals for safety's sake."

Sky stared in the direction Harley left. "That would be the safer option, wouldn't it?"

* * *

Siddeley landed in a remote area almost fifty miles from the Academy for Psyche Students. But Finn insisted on it so they could slip into the school without raising any red flags. Holley and Mater waited in Siddeley in case they were needed for backup.

"So what's our plan?" Harley asked as she and Finn approached the gates to the school.

"We will go to Wheeler directly." Finn said. "Secure an interview and witness statement. Once we assure his validity as a witness, we can arrange protection for him and issue a warrant for Waller's arrest."

"Great." Harley nodded. She pulled a stylus from one of the arms of her glasses, and she tapped a few things on her watch. "I got his office location and his hours. He should be in his office now."

"His calendar is clear." Leland added. "Waller is on the other side of the campus giving a lecture."

"Good, good." Finn mused. He and Harley screeched to a halt when they reached the faculty office building. "You must be joking." Finn groaned.

"Hey Hudson." Sky greeted, her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips. Dusty, Katherine, and Sparky waved awkwardly. Skipper and Blade just nodded in greeting. Nick hovered next to Sky, chuckling nervously.

"What are you doing here?!" Harley demanded. "What did Finn and I tell you back in Propwash Junction?"

"That we should stay home because it was safer." Sky said. "But just because that's what we should do doesn't mean it's the right thing to do."

"Miss Riley—" Finn protested.

"Don't try and make us go home." Sky said. "The reason they all came with me—" She jerked her thumb to her traveling companions. "—is because they wouldn't let me go without them."

"Sky, this is beyond dangerous." Harley protested.

"Waller came after me." Sky reasoned. "I want to help bring him in. You aren't going in there without me."

Harley face-palmed, and then took off her glasses to run her hand down her face. "Finn? What's your call? Keeping in mind that this young woman is most likely going to argue about this until the tractors come home or directly disobey our orders to stay put."

Finn knew that was true. He cast a look to Sky, who frowned at him. Finn sighed. "Very well. Miss Riley, Commander Riley, and Chief Ranger. You three will join me and Harley as we retrieve Professor Wheeler. The rest of you will wait out here until we return. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." Everyone agreed.

"Good." Finn sighed again. "Come along." He, Harley, Leland, Blade, Skipper, and Sky hurriedly yet casually walked into the office building.

"Right with you, guys." Nick announced, floating beside Blade.

"I would prefer ghost backup myself." Harley admitted. "But you follow Leland's orders, Lopez."

"Since when do I follow orders?" Nick rolled his eyes.

"Since we became involved in a case with spies." Blade hissed, making sure nobody heard them. "Be serious, Nick. This is dangerous."

"I'm a ghost." Nick scoffed. "It's not like I'm going to get shot."

"Just stay focused." Finn hissed. "We are going with a casual approach in order to alleviate suspicion."

"Wheeler is a friendly guy." Harley said. "We just have to knock on his door." Finally, they reached Wheeler's office door. Harley knocked, and they waited for a response. None came, so Harley knocked again. "Hello? Professor Wheeler? Uh, maybe you don't remember me. I'm Harley Hudson. I took your class last term?" Still no response came.

"I'm here too, Professor Wheeler." Sky piped up.

"What are you doing?" Harley hissed, elbowing Sky's ribs.

Sky shrugged. "Just trying to be helpful."

Finn rolled up closer to the door. "Professor Wheeler, my name is Agent McMissile and Miss Hudson is my partner. We'd like a word with you."

"Why isn't he answering?" Skipper murmured. Harley tried to open the door, but it was locked.

"We'll check it out." Leland offered. "Come on, Lopez." The two ghosts floated through the door, carefully peering around inside. The spacious room had wall-to-wall bookshelves, some comfy chairs, and a large desk covered in books, papers, and a computer. A large closet rested next to the window. Wheeler wasn't anywhere in sight.

Nick poked his face through the door. "Nobody here."

"Are you sure?" Harley whispered.

Leland phased through the door. "You're sure he was supposed to be in here?"

"He is always in his office at this time." Harley affirmed. She pulled her pistol from its sheath on her belt. "I don't like this."

Finn tensed up on his axles. "Everyone get back." Skipper, Sky, Blade, Leland, and Nick moved a few feet away. Finn unloaded one of his guns. "Harley, break the door down."

"Gladly." Harley lifted one of her boots and gave a mighty kick to the door, right next to the doorknob. The door flew open, and Harley and Finn hurried inside with guns drawn and ready to fire. They scanned the area. "Clear." Harley said.

"Clear." Finn confirmed.

Sky poked her head inside. "Skylar Amelia Riley, stay back." Skipper ordered.

Sky sighed. "Yes, Dad."

Leland moved inside. "I don't understand. Where would Wheeler be? He doesn't have a class right now."

"Maybe he's having lunch?" Nick suggested.

Harley took a look around the room again. "Professor Wheeler?" She called out, half-hoping he was just hiding somewhere. _Hiding….._ Harley's eyes traveled to the closet. She moved over to the door carefully, her pistol hammer cocked.

"Harley?" Finn intoned.

"What are you doing?" Leland asked.

Harley held up a hand to silence them, and she gently grabbed the handle of the closet. She gave it a swift jerk towards her. Something inside the closet shifted to lean on the doors, and they flew open. Harley yelped as a great mass fell towards her, and she disappeared underneath the mass.

"Harley!" Finn cried. Sky, Skipper, Blade, and Nick hurried inside, staring in shock. "Harley! Are you all right?" Finn asked, peering under the mass—a car body—to see his Partner.

Harley panted, her eyes a little wild. The bottom of the car body rested just an inch away from her nose. "Wow. This guy's got good suspension." She wiggled out from under the car and Finn and Leland helped her up. Everyone took a better look at who fell on Harley.

It was Professor Wheeler.

"You have got to be kidding me." Harley groaned.

"Well this didn't work out like we thought it would." Nick muttered. Blade whacked him in the head with his rotors.


	20. Race Against Waller

**Chapter Twenty – Race Against Waller**

Within the hour after Finn made the call to the Alamo police department, the office building became swarmed with police and even a couple FBI and C.H.R.O.M.E. agents. Sky, Skipper, Blade, and Nick waited outside with the rest of their friends. Finn talked to the agents and officers about what they found.

Harley inspected the body of Professor Wheeler. "Cause of death?"

"You tell us. You're the psyche human." One of the officers shrugged. "Coroner hasn't come yet to do the autopsy."

"Yeah, can't you just tell us what happened?" another officer pointed out.

"Maybe, but I like to have second opinions." Harley sassed. She put a hand on Professor Wheeler's hood. She focused her powers. "Well, it looks like asphyxiation was the ultimate cause of death. The only thing I'm unsure of is the methodology. No murder weapon around, and the phone cord is intact." She crawled under the car again, staring up at the metalwork that protected Wheeler's windpipe. Harley shined a flashlight from her glasses onto the area, but she didn't see anything unusual. Then, she noticed the texture of the metal seemed off. Harley touched the metal around Wheeler's windpipe, and she found it slightly disfigured as though someone had crumpled it and then badly reshaped it.

"See anything interesting?" one of the officers asked.

"Definitely asphyxiation via a foreign object." Harley reported, sliding out from under the dead car.

The Alamo police sheriff—a middle-aged human man with a permanent scowl—approached Harley. "Coroner on the way to get another look. Any idea who could've done this?"

"My partner and I have a suspect in mind." Harley said. "This death is linked to an ongoing case he and I are working."

"Anything we can do to help?" the sheriff asked.

"Just forward any information you find to us." Harley said simply. She marched off and met with Finn and Leland outside.

"Nothing more we can do here." Finn announced. "Come along."

Harley sighed through her nose, and Leland gave her a comforting nuzzle. The three spies moved outside, meeting with their friends who sulked near the doors. "Hey guys." Harley greeted sullenly.

"Hello." Sky greeted in a monotone voice.

"Are you going to arrest Waller now?" Katherine asked.

"Well, that would make sense considering the fact that Professor Wheeler was clearly murdered right when we were about to bring him in for questioning." Harley droned.

"I hear a 'but' coming." Dusty noted.

"But there is no proof." Finn said.

Everyone gave a collective groan of irritation.

"This is beyond stupid." Sky complained.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Sparky sighed.

* * *

The next morning, Dusty and Sparky left to get some morning refreshments for everyone.

"Are we sure we should even be on this campus?" Dusty asked.

"Well, Sky said she likes this café's coffee." Sparky shrugged. "She could use a pick-me-up, just like everyone else."

"Yeah." Dusty nodded in agreement. "After what we saw yesterday, I don't think I'll be able to watch crime shows anymore."

"It's pretty bad." Sparky admitted. "Reminds me of some hairy situations on the _Flysenhower._ "

Dusty stared off into space. "I never thought I would actually want to hurt someone. But thinking about Waller gets my oil boiling."

"Being in the Navy taught me that you have to accept some losses." Sparky said. "Of course, we don't have to be happy about it."

Dusty shook his nose. Then, he noticed someone in the crowd. "Sparky. Look. It's him."

Sparky followed Dusty's gaze to see Waller strolling past them and out the doors of the dining hall. "Well, he is the dean of the academy."

Dusty glared. "Funny. He just lost one of his best professors, and he doesn't look very upset about it."

"Dusty, let it go." Sparky encouraged. "It's not easy. But you gotta do it."

"Sparky, that monster hurt my friend." Dusty growled. "I'm not letting him go." He hurried off after Waller, forcing Sparky to follow. They stayed a safe distance behind Waller, but kept him in sight at all times. They watched him walk through the grounds of the academy and then disappear into a one-story building that looked more like a repurposed shed. A human woman and a forklift waited outside, each one donned in white with a red cross. Waller greeted them cheerily and ushered them inside. Dusty moved around and ducked down near an open window. Sparky joined him.

"Thank you for coming." Waller told his guests. "This is an important matter for me and my students."

"Thank you for having us." The woman said. "Our team is on the way. When would you like to start?"

"Two p.m., sharp." Waller said. "All students are required to take these vaccinations. I have reason to believe a string of influenza is spreading through here, and several of my students have lung-related health problems."

"It's very kind of you to think of them." The forklift said. "But in your email, you mentioned that you had your own registered vaccine for your students. Are you sure this is certified by the CDC?"

"Oh yes. I have the paperwork here to prove it." Waller assured. "And you and your team are registered nurses?"

"Yes, sir." The woman nodded. "Straight from Albuquerque."

"Wonderful." Waller scribbled something on a notepad. "Here is where the vaccinations will take place. I will have the vaccines delivered there."

"We'll see you there, then." The forklift said, departing with the woman following.

Waller waited until he knew for sure the nurses had left. He picked up his phone and punched in the number. "It's Waller…there's no need for sass, Mr. Caller ID." Waller sighed. "I trust you transferred the serum into those syringes by now? Or else you wouldn't have this much time to be a smartass." A pause. "Great. Take it to the auditorium. Everything is set up, just put a couple crates of the serum near each chair." Waller hung up.

Sparky and Dusty each had wide eyes. They shared a look.

Waller jumped at the loud screams, and he walked over to the window to peer outside. But he didn't see anything that would entice screaming. So he shrugged and returned to his desk.

* * *

Everyone regrouped at a hotel in Alamo while Dusty and Sparky got everyone coffee. Nobody spoke. Morale was at an all-new low. It seemed to everyone that Dean Waller had actually won. Their only witness was dead, and Waller had long since moved his research to a location Finn and Harley had yet to find.

"I strongly dislike this situation." Katherine droned.

"It was a case that did not end in our favor." Finn said calmly. "Sometimes, we come across opponents who are able to take any and all measures to ensure they will never be captured."

"They are few and far between, but they are there." Leland agreed.

"So, is there really no way to stop this guy?" Skipper demanded.

"Come on, there has to be something we can do." Sky insisted. "I'm not giving up hope just yet."

"This doesn't have anything to do with giving up hope." Harley sighed. "It's about admitting defeat with grace and dignity."

Sky huffed. "Well you know what? Defeat can kiss my—"

"Skylar Amelia Riley!" Skipper snapped.

Sky winced. "Sorry, Dad."

"I am not happy to admit it. But I am serious." Harley said. "It can't get any worse."

Dusty and Sparky burst through the door, making everyone jump. Nick and Leland were so startled they hit the ceiling. "I'm assuming there was a good reason for that." Blade snapped.

"Waller is going to destroy every psyche human in the Academy for Psyche Students!" Sparky and Dusty cried simultaneously.

Everyone stared at the pair. "What are you talking about?" Finn demanded.

"And don't shout." Harley scolded as she herded Dusty and Sparky inside. "What's going on?"

Dusty and Sparky hurriedly explained what they heard while eavesdropping on Waller. Everyone's expressions turned to a mix of shocked and confused.

"But Sky was his target." Harley said. "He didn't use the serum on her until after he experimented it on other psyche humans. Why is he attacking the students?"

Sky suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute. I remember Waller saying something after he kidnapped me. Amidst the craziness that spewed from his mouth, he asked me something. He asked me if I had the chance to cure things like Alzheimer's or blindness, would I take that chance. Waller sees psych-man abilities as a disease that needs to be cured."

"So he goes after you as a family favor, but his main goal was to wipe out all psyche humans." Leland realized.

"That would explain why he waited until the serum's perfection before he used it on you." Harley said. "He wanted to make sure the serum wouldn't hurt you. Physically and mentally, that is."

"But why use registered nurses to go through with this?" Dusty asked.

"Redirect blame in case someone like us finds out." Nick guessed. "The nurses would be questioned for not ensuring the 'vaccine' was legit."

"We have to stop Waller. Like right now." Sky urged.

"The vaccinations are in about four hours." Harley announced. "Is that enough time for a warrant to search and/or arrest?"

"Possibly, but not likely." Finn mused. "I can ask Holley."

"You can arrest him for probable cause and then secure the serum." Skipper said. "He might be able to avoid arrest, but he won't be able to deny a test on the liquid in the syringe without looking suspicious."

"Good thinking, Commander Riley." Harley nodded, buckling her utility belt around her hips. "Let's go."

"We're coming with you." Blade announced as Finn, Harley, and Leland led the way.

"We expected that." Finn assured.

Suddenly, Harley skidded to a halt and nearly caused a pileup behind her. "What's the deal?" Nick complained.

"Get down!" Harley hissed, causing everyone to jump back. Harley peered around the corner of the hallway, staring out at the lobby. "Finn, Code 10-66."

"Suspicious Person? Who?" Nick asked.

"How do you know police codes?" Harley demanded.

"We worked on a cop show." Nick said.

"Not real police work." Harley countered.

"Did research for the show." Blade said.

"Touché." Harley nodded.

"Who's the suspicious person?" Sky asked, peering out from around the corner.

"That young man over there." Harley said. "He was waiting outside the hotel when we arrived and he's still there. He doesn't exactly look like he's waiting for someone."

Sky narrowed her eyes. "I know that guy."

"You do?" Sparky asked.

"Well, not personally." Sky corrected. "But I've seen him before. Back in Propwash Junction. He's not a local, but I thought he was new or just visiting. It can't be a coincidence that he's here too."

"Sky, Skipper, and Sparky. Start walking out the door and wait outside for us." Finn ordered. The three mentioned obeyed, and the spies of the group paid special attention to the young man. As Sky, Skipper, and Sparky disappeared, the young man raised a hand to casually scratch his nose.

"Jaw movement." Harley reported.

"Confirmed." Leland said, having just returned from popping over to the man. "He's watching us."

"So what do we do?" Dusty asked.

"I have a plan." Harley assured. She motioned for everyone to follow her, and they all marched outside. The young man spying on them casually rose and began to follow them. But when he rounded the corner to outside, Harley's fist met his face and knocked him out. She shoved him behind the bushes outside the hotel and brushed off her hands on her shorts.

"Unorthodox, yet effective." Leland mused.

"Let's go!" Finn urged.

* * *

Waller typed away on his laptop, killing time until the vaccinations would start. His phone rang, and he picked it up quickly.

"Hello? Oh really? No response whatsoever? Well, does _anyone_ know where they are?" Waller sighed heavily. "This is not good for the plan. Find them. Just put them somewhere secure and I'll deal with them later. Harm my niece, and I'll have your head."

A pause.

"Just do as you're told!" Waller hung up, and he sighed as he massaged his temples. "So hard to find good help."

* * *

"Any word from Holley?" Harley asked as everyone sped towards the school. Harley sat on Finn's trunk, Sky rode on Dusty's wing, and Katherine rode inside Blade's hoist hatch.

"She's still working on the warrant, but it doesn't look like we'll get it in time." Finn reported. "We'll have to rely on probable cause."

"Thank you, Fourth Amendment." Harley muttered.

"We're going to have to split up." Finn announced. "I want eyes on Waller and the vaccination location. Harley and Leland, you'll go to the location and secure the serum. I'll track Waller's movements."

"What about us?" Sky asked.

"You've done enough." Finn assured. "You will wait at the gate."

"Aw, come on!" Sky complained.

"Just wait here." Harley ordered. They had reached the gates, and the spies of the group hurried inside while the others waited just next to the stone and metal gates.

"Man, this blows." Sky huffed.

"Would you calm down?" Dusty sighed. "Honestly, I'm happy to wait outside and let the professionals handle it."

"Well I'm not." Sky growled. "I just don't feel comfortable sitting back and doing nothing."

"It's never been something you like to do." Skipper admitted.

Sky leaned against the stone of the gate, and she looked towards the campus. That's when she noticed Rachel a short distance away. Sky knew it would be stupid to run in, but she couldn't just sit back. She had to help warn the students at least. So, obeying impulse instead of reasoning, Sky darted out into the campus.

"Sky, wait!" Katherine yelped, resulting in the others hurrying after Sky. Dusty and Sparky reached her first, and Dusty managed to scoop a wing and lift Sky up to stop her.

Suddenly, three black pickup trucks screeched to a halt in the path of Skipper and Blade, the latter still holding Katherine in his hoist hatch. The aircraft skidded to a stop. Dusty, Sparky, and Sky whipped around and stared in shock.

"Dad! Blade!" Sky shouted.

"Run!" Skipper ordered. He and Blade each managed to dodge the trucks' attacks and even lay down a few blows before they darted off. One of the trucks noticed Dusty, Sparky, and Sky, and he drove after them.

"Let's go!" Sparky yelped. He, Dusty, and Sky hurried off as fast as they could. One of the black pickups chased them while the other two hurried after Skipper, Blade, and Katherine.

"Nick, stay with Sky." Blade ordered.

"You sure?" Nick asked.

"Yes, just go!" Blade snapped.

"Okay! Okay!" Nick spirited away.

"This way!" Skipper called, leading Blade down and alley between two buildings. Katherine yelped at the sharp turn that nearly threw her out of the hatch. Skipper and Blade made it out of the alley and turned another corner, then hid behind yet another one and watched their pursuers continue their desperate drive.

"We need to call Harley and Finn." Blade said. "Waller is on to us."

"Not to be impolite, but duh!" Katherine snapped.

"We'll call them on the way to find Sky." Skipper decided. "She's in more danger than any of us." Blade nodded in agreement. Waller's twisted mind affected Sky more than anyone else, which could mean anything now that she was back on campus. Skipper took another look around, and gestured for Blade to follow him. They hurried through the campus, but had to screech to a halt again when the two pickups returned, joined by a third car. Blade shut his hoist hatch to keep Katherine safe as he crashed into one of the trucks. Skipper swung a wing and clipped the other truck. But he was caught off-guard when the car pulled out a Taser from his hubcap and shot Skipper with it. Immediately, the Corsair began to twitch and jerk uncontrollably as he tried to fight the pain.

"Hey!" Blade growled, finally managing to shove the truck he fought aside.

"Go!" Skipper growled through the pain. "Run!"

Blade considered his options for a split-second. Even if he did leave Skipper behind (something he really didn't consider an option), what would his other choices be? Find Sky? Find Finn? After that split-second, Blade turned and made a break for it. But he didn't go very far before he stopped in a secluded and hidden area and dumped Katherine out of his hoist hatch.

Katherine scrambled back up into her wheelchair. "Blade?"

"Go hide." Blade ordered in a hushed tone. "When the coast is clear, find some help. Finn, Harley, Leland, anybody."

"No, I can't!" Katherine protested.

"Yes, you can." Blade assured. "You have to."

Katherine rubbed one of the armrests of her wheelchair. "But—"

"Just go! I'll buy you some time!" Blade darted out and rushed back to the fight. One of the pickup trucks had ropes attached to his tailgate, pulling an unconscious Skipper behind him. Blade leaped into the fight, much to Katherine's awe and horror. She sat there, frozen for a moment, but soon snapped out of it and wheeled away as fast as she could.

* * *

Sky, Dusty, Sparky, and Nick ran as fast as they could while the truck chased them. They knew that if they stopped, they were done for.

"Do we have any other plan besides running for our lives?" Sky asked.

"Split up." Dusty ordered.

"Worst idea ever!" Sparky protested.

"Agreed." Nick muttered.

"Trust me." Dusty said. "I have an idea."

The truck behind them noticed Sky breaking off from her friends and going in a different direction. He wasn't exactly concerned about the plane and the forklift, so he turned and drove after Sky. The raven-haired woman ran as fast as she could, but had to take sharp turns to keep the truck from catching up. She finally made a ninety-degree turn and disappeared behind a building. The truck swung around to follow…

….and Dusty quickly slammed nose-first into the truck.

The point of Dusty's propeller left a small hole in the truck's grill, and the impact alone knocked him unconscious. Dusty nodded in satisfaction.

"Go Dusty!" Sky cheered.

"Nice job, Duster!" Sparky whooped.

"Not bad, Crophopper." Nick chuckled.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Sky inspected Dusty's propeller.

"No worries." Dusty assured. None of his propeller blades had broken. His nose felt a little sore, but he could live with that.

"We have to find Dad and Blade." Sky urged. "I'm calling Harley to warn her." They all ran off, Sky going faster than her friends. She switched on her radio. "Harley, come in! Waller's on to us! He sent—"

Time seemed to slow down when Sky turned her head and saw a car coming right for her. Her eyes widened, and the adrenaline kicked in. Skipper and Sparky's Navy training came instinctually, and Sky bent her knees just enough to jump up above the car's hood. She curled into a ball, and her back hit the car's windshield. She bounced off the car and hit the ground. The impact wasn't really felt after the adrenaline rush. Sky pushed herself to her feet, but she felt light as a feather and a little dizzy. The adrenaline and shock from the impact disoriented Sky. She could register Dusty and Sparky screaming for her, but she couldn't shout back to them. She felt a forklift pick her up and whisk her away, but she couldn't fight back as strongly when she realized it was an unfamiliar forklift taking her away.

"Oh I don't think so!" Nick growled, following Sky. Dusty and Sparky were about to follow, but the car turned and looked ready to fight.

"We gotta go!" Sparky urged, pushing Dusty the other way. They only looked back once, and when they did they saw that nobody chased them anymore. The two vehicles stopped near a classroom building, panting heavily.

"This is bad. This is so bad!" Dusty groaned.

"Let's stay calm." Sparky said. "We have to come up with a new plan. It could be worse."

"I don't see how things could get better!" Dusty snapped.

"Dusty! Sparky!"

The boys shouted in surprise and spun around. But they calmed down when they saw Katherine behind them.

"Where are Blade and Skipper?" Sparky asked.

"They were captured." Katherine said ruefully. "But we can't dwell on that now! We have to find someplace safe and call Harley or Finn. They're in trouble."

* * *

The forklift holding Sky had to readjust his grip when Sky fully regained her senses and began thrashing. But he somehow managed to take away Sky's radio and shove her into a classroom on the top floor of one of the buildings. He slammed the door shut.

Sky banged her fists on the door. "You son of a Beemer! Get back here so I can pound you into the dirt! I probably have a concussion thanks to you!"

"You do?"

Sky spun around to see a Waller sitting at the desk in the front of the room. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"This is my school." Waller shrugged. "But I didn't know you had come back. I must have a word with those idiots. I told them not to harm you, but they aren't very good at listening."

"Where are my friends?" Sky demanded.

"They aren't very good friends if they are doing this to you." Waller shrugged, texting something on his phone.

Sky face-palmed. "I so don't have the patience to deal with your idiocy right now."

Waller sighed, tucking his phone into his pocket. "I can see now that you've been quite disillusioned. Which is a shame. I had hoped we could share this moment."

"What moment?" Sky demanded.

"The beginning of the end." Waller said proudly. "The end of this plague known as psyche humans. The end of this disease that has affected so many people. Over four hundred students are at my academy now. They will finally be cured, thanks to my work. And your contribution, of course."

"You can't do this." Sky growled. "You have no idea how that serum will affect the students. You've killed people with that so-called 'antidote.'"

"Any deaths that occurred were necessary in the name of the cure." Waller said.

"Necessary?" Sky scoffed. "Killing innocent psyche humans just because you think their powers are a disease is necessary? Open your eyes! My abilities as a psych-man didn't hinder my life. In fact, they helped me do amazing things. I used them to race. I used them for firefighting!"

"You can do both of those things without your powers." Waller shrugged. "Honestly, Skylar, I would've thought you'd be happy."

"There were times in my life when I wished I wasn't a psyche human." Sky admitted. "But those thoughts are behind me. You may have nearly destroyed my life, but I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Waller sighed pitifully. "Such a shame. You are still blind to the truth." He opened a drawer of the desk and pull out a pistol, cocking the hammer and pointing the gun towards Sky. He stood and walked to the door, careful to keep the gun pointed at his niece. Sky didn't dare move. She didn't know if Waller would really shoot her, but she wasn't about to take that chance. Waller opened the door. "You will stay here until I come for you. I'm calling your father after the vaccinations." With that, Waller slammed the door shut and locked it.

Sky ran forward and banged her shoulder against the door, but it was firmly shut. "You can't keep me in here! I'm gonna get out! You just watch!"

* * *

"Blade? Blade. Chief Ranger. Come on, you gotta wake up sooner or later."

Blade groaned, struggling to regain his senses.

"I guess he chose sooner." Skipper's voice chuckled.

Blade finally blinked his eyes open, and he found Harley in front of his nose with her glowing hands resting on his muzzle. When she saw him come around, she pulled back. "How do you feel?"

"Sore." Blade muttered, trying to ignore the dull throb in his head. The last thing he remembered was jumping back into the fight, but being blindsided and knocked out from behind. He looked around and discovered he, Skipper, Finn, Leland, and Harley stood in a large, spacious room that had wall-to-wall shelves filled with books and containers of various chemicals and ingredients. "Where are we?"

"In one of the chemistry labs." Harley explained. "Finn and I were jumped, and we woke up here. You and Skipper arrived soon after."

"The doors are locked inside and out." Finn added. "And we are to be killed after the vaccinations take place."

"Well that sure as hell ain't happening." Blade scanned the room again. "Where is everyone else? Where's Raven?"

"We don't know." Leland admitted. "We've been trying to contact them, but no luck so far."

"Let me try." Skipper offered. He switched on his radio and tapped into Dusty's frequency, praying for a response. "Dusty? Dusty, this is Skipper. Come in."

After a moment, a joyful voice called over Skipper's radio. _"Skipper?! Boy, am I glad to hear from you!"_

"I got Dusty!" Skipper announced. Harley shushed him, motioning to the two guards outside the chemistry lab doors. Skipper lowered his voice. "Dusty, where are you? Is Sky there?"

" _Sky was separated from me and Sparky."_ Dusty said sadly. _"But we ran into Katherine! The three of us are hiding out in one of the dorms. Where are you?"_

"Locked in a classroom." Skipper said.

"Don't tell them to come get us." Finn said hurriedly. "They may be the only ones who can buy us time."

Skipper nodded in understanding. "Dusty, I need you to do something. You, Sparky, and Katherine have to buy us some time to escape and catch up with you."

" _Buy you time?"_ Dusty repeated.

"Yeah." Skipper said. "Go stop those vaccinations."

" _How are we supposed to do that?"_ Dusty demanded.

"I don't know!" Skipper snapped. "But you guys are our only shot. Stall the vaccinations. Pull a fire alarm. Do _something._ We'll catch up with you as soon as we can."

Dusty sighed. _"Okay. Just hurry!"_ He signed off.

Harley listened into her radio. "Nothing from Sky. If anything, she's probably looking for us or looking for Waller."

"Waller won't hurt her." Finn assured. "We need to worry about getting out of here."

"I'd be happy to break the door down." Blade offered.

"We'd be shot." Leland reminded him. "I could cause a distraction. Or run them over."

"That kind of violence is not becoming." Harley scolded.

"Yet might be necessary." Finn murmured. He peered through the window on the door, analyzing the scene outside. The two guards, one a human and the other a car, stood ready outside, both armed and prepared to shoot at any moment. Even if Leland could beat them, the door opened inward. There was no guarantee they'd be able to break it down after subduing their opponents. Then, Finn noticed an air vent right above the guards. He reversed and saw another vent in the room.

"I know that look, Finn." Harley said, a smile beginning to form. "Do you have a plan?"

Finn looked back to the guards. The human guard had the keys. "Yes."

* * *

"Stop the vaccinations?" Sparky repeated. "How are we supposed to do that?"

"I don't know." Dusty said. "But they start in a couple hours. At least we have time." The trio paused when a bell rang over the intercom.

" _Attention students."_ Someone said over the speakers. _"The mandatory vaccination time has been bumped up to twelve-thirty. Please make your way to the gym now. I repeat, the vaccination time has been changed to twelve-thirty. Please head to the gym now."_

"I'm going to pin this on Murphy's Law." Katherine sighed.

"So now we have half an hour to figure out a plan?" Dusty groaned.

"We're gonna have to figure it out on the way there." Sparky decided. "Let's go!"

* * *

Sky banged her shoulder against the door again, to no avail. Her efforts began to cause her significant pain. She groaned in frustration, kicking a desk. Without her radio, she couldn't even call her friends to let her know where she was.

"Okay. Just calm down." Sky took a few deep breaths. "Come on, Skylar Amelia Riley. You can do this." She took a look around, but saw nothing that could help. Sky sighed. "Nick? Nick, if you're there, I need your help. Please. I can't do this on my own."

Sky waited…..and waited…and then jumped when the closet in the corner moved. She hurried over, and she saw the closet move completely out of the way and reveal an air vent. The cover to the vent practically flew off from an unseen force.

"Nick, you're the best!" Sky cheered. She quickly crawled inside, Nick coming in right behind her. Sky didn't really know which way to go, but she didn't care as long as she found a way outside.

A bit of crawling later, Sky found a vent that led into what looked like another classroom. Thankfully, the room appeared empty. So Sky curled up, feeling like a contortionist in the tight space, and slammed her feet into the vent to knock it out. She eased her way into the classroom, hanging from her hands and then landing perfectly on a desk. But when she looked up, she was surprised to see a forklift at the desk in the front of the classroom.

"Well, hello there, Skylar." The forklift greeted, albeit confusedly.

"Hello Professor Ranft." Skylar chuckled, climbing down from the desk. "Just ran into a difficult situation."

"You sure you weren't hiding from the vaccinations?" Professor Ranft asked, an eye frame raised.

"Actually, I was going to head over to that in a few minutes." Sky assured.

"You better head over now." Professor Ranft suggested. "Dean Waller recently made an announcement and changed the time and place."

Sky froze. "When? Where?"

"In about fifteen minutes." Professor Ranft said. "Over in the gym."

"Okay, thanks!" Sky took off running, sprinting for the stairs.

 _Blade, wherever you are, I hope you're okay._ Nick thought.

* * *

Finn kept an eye on the vent out in the hallway. Finally, he saw some sparks, and Harley cut off the vent and pulled it into the shaft with her. She locked eyes with Finn and nodded to assure him she was ready.

"Leland, go ahead." Finn ordered.

"Roger that." Leland nodded. He floated through the door and parked next to the human man, ready for Harley's next move. Harley pulled on Blade's hoist, and the helicopter let out some slack from the cable. Harley lowered the hook end of the hoist down, careful to make sure neither of the guards noticed. Leland helped guide the hook into place, and he and Harley managed to catch the ring that held the keys. Harley nodded to Finn.

"All right, Ranger." Finn instructed. "When I give the word, pull."

Blade nodded. "Right."

"Ready…" Finn checked to see if the guards noticed anything. "Now!"

Blade quickly reeled in the hoist. But not only did he pull up the key ring, he yanked the human guard to the ceiling by the belt loop of his pants. Everyone jumped, including Harley who hit her head on the inside of the vent.

"Blade!" Skipper hissed.

"He said, 'pull,' so I pulled!" Blade hissed back.

Luckily, Harley thought quickly and pulled out a knife to cut the keys free. The human guard fell to the ground, groaning in pain while his comrade laughed like a madman. The human guard stood quickly and spun around to the prisoners in the classroom. Everyone inside simply whistled innocently. The human guard narrowed his eyes, and he glanced upward to see Harley in the vent.

"Hey!" the guard snapped.

"Leland!" Finn called.

"On it!" Leland assured. The ghost rammed into the human guard with just enough force to send him to the ground. The car guard jumped, looking all around for the source of his comrade's attack. But Leland stayed invisible, especially as he slammed into the car guard. Harley leaped down from the vent, and she summoned a force field that encased the two guards. She lifted the bubble-like shield and sent it flying through the double doors at the end of the hallway. Leland and Harley quickly shut the doors before the guards could come back, and Harley took some wire from her belt to tie around the handles of the door.

"Now _that's_ how it's done!" Harley cheered. She and Leland hurried back to the classroom, and Harley unlocked the door.

"Well done, Harley!" Finn complimented.

"The gym is this way! Come on!" Harley led everyone down the hall, towards the other set of doors.

* * *

Waller walked into the gym and took a look around. Several rows of chairs stood neatly around the room, and a small group of students huddled near each chair. A nurse stood with each group of students, ready with the serum. Waller nodded in satisfaction. His phone rang, and he quickly answered it.

"Hello? Yes, I'm in the gym now. Is the chloroform set up in the sprinklers? Good. Set it off after I leave. I need to give a speech for the students." Waller hung up, and he climbed up to a platform set up at the front of the room. He tapped the microphone to make sure it worked, and he moved the microphone stand closer to him. "Hello ladies and gentlemen of the Academy for Psyche Students. Welcome. I do hope this didn't affect any of your sleeping schedules." There were scattered laughs throughout the room. "Well, I would not be asking this of you if I didn't think it was required. Your safety and health are of the utmost importance at this school."

As Waller spoke, Dusty, Sparky, and Katherine finally rounded the corner and burst into the gym. Waller hardly paused, but he did cast a glance to the trio.

"Okay, we're in." Dusty whispered. "Now what?"

"We have to stop this." Katherine urged.

"But how?" Dusty asked.

"Hey! Hey, everyone!" Sparky hollered. Waller didn't stop speaking, but several of the students turned towards the trio. Quite a few became excited to see Dusty. Sparky kept shouting. "Listen! We need to stop the vaccinations!"

"Whatever for?" one of the nearby nurses asked.

"It's a trap!" Sparky insisted.

Waller finally acknowledged the fact that his speech was interrupted. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Those 'vaccinations,' as you call them, aren't real!" Sparky called. More of the students began to look towards them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, he is obviously confused." Waller assured. "Someone call security please."

"You won't be able to fool anyone for much longer!" Katherine shouted, suddenly wheeling up the ramp to the platform. Dusty and Sparky did a double-take, unsure of when and how Katherine managed to sneak around everyone to reach Waller. Katherine had a furious glare in her eyes, and she focused it entirely onto Waller. "Nobody is going to be hurt by you ever again." Katherine wheeled herself around to face the students. "Listen to me! Those vaccinations are actually a serum Dean Waller made that takes away psyche human powers. If it is injected into you, your powers will disappear. You have to leave now!"

"Oh stop it." Samantha's familiar, snide tone could be heard throughout the gym. The blonde rolled her eyes. "You're already in a wheelchair. There's no need to draw any more attention to yourself."

"I'm not trying to draw attention to myself!" Katherine snapped. "I am trying to warn you all! Waller is not trying to help you! He's going to hurt and possibly kill you!"

"Okay, now _that_ is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Samantha jeered.

Katherine stared out at the students, praying for someone to look at least a little convinced. But none of the students would look towards her. It did sound pretty crazy. Several of the students began murmuring to each other. Katherine spotted Rachel and her bandmates, but even they seemed to have a hard time believing her claims.

Waller approached Katherine and put a hand on her shoulder. "Ms. Achebe, perhaps you are ill. I could have one of the nurses take you to the infirmary if you wish."

Katherine glared at him. Waller was clearly confident in his victory. His cockiness indicated he thought nobody could stop him. But Katherine would not be deterred. "I could not protect my friend from you. But I will not let another psyche human suffer."

Waller was confused….until he saw Katherine pull out a syringe from her jacket sleeve. "No!"

Sky and Nick burst in through one set of doors.

Harley, Finn, Leland, Blade, and Skipper came in behind Sparky and Dusty.

All of them saw Katherine with the syringe.

"Kat, don't!" Sky screamed.

Katherine plunged the needle into her arm, pushing the serum into her bloodstream.


	21. Restitution

**Chapter Twenty-One – Restitution**

For a moment, nothing happened. Sky had a fleeting feeling of hope that maybe the serum wouldn't work at all. Deathly silence hung in the air as everyone waited to see what might happen.

Suddenly, Katherine doubled over and began shaking so violently that she fell out of her wheelchair. The students quickly dissolved into panic, and they began screaming and running towards the nearest exit. Sky and the others pushed their way through the crowd, trying to reach their friend.

Waller quickly jumped off the stage and moved to a clear corner where nobody would trample him. He pulled out his cell phone. "Hello? Yes, turn on the sprinklers now!" Waller watched as the fire sprinklers began spinning. But, to his horror, nothing came out of them. No chloroform. No water. Nothing. He shook his head a little. "No. This can't be happening."

Sky and Harley finally managed to shove their way through the crowd to reach Katherine. The girls jumped up onto the stage, and they knelt by Katherine's side. Katherine had stopped shaking, but she wheezed and she stared off into space.

"Harley, do something!" Sky shouted.

Harley took Katherine's hand, hoping she could somehow stop the serum's effects. But she froze. "I can't."

"Come on, Harley. Please!" Sky begged.

"It's too late!" Harley growled. She glared at the ground, clearly ashamed. "Katherine, why would you do such a thing?"

"Couldn't just…..sit there…" Katherine spoke in a stuttering voice. "Had to…do something…"

Nobody spoke. Most of the students and staff managed to get out by then. Blade noticed movement, and he saw Waller trying to sneak out one of the doors.

"Hey!" Blade shouted. Waller bolted, but Blade immediately gave a chase. Sky noticed, and she sprinted after her partner. Nick followed close behind.

"Sky!" Harley called.

"Go with her." Finn ordered.

"What?" Harley asked.

"You three follow Waller." Finn ordered. "I'll rendezvous with Siddeley and catch up with you!"

"Roger that!" Harley activated the skate wheels in her boots, and she rolled as fast as she could to follow Sky and Blade. Finn tore out of the gym, forgetting about the rest of their group.

Skipper's commander side took over. "Dusty, go to Alamo and get the police. I'm going to follow Sky and relay Waller's position to you."

"Roger that!" Dusty rushed away to do as Skipper ordered.

"Sparky, stay with Katherine." Skipper ordered. "Help her how you can."

"You got it, Skip." Sparky saluted to the Jolly Wrench. Skipper rolled away and out the door. Sparky tended to Katherine, gently rubbing her arm with one tine and speaking comfortingly to her.

Leland parked near Katherine's head. He tried to nuzzle her, but he went right through her. Leland realized with a start that Katherine couldn't see nor hear him without her powers.

"I won't leave you." Leland breathed. "I promise."

* * *

"Just get over here! We need to leave immediately!" Waller shouted before hanging up his cell phone. He ran his fingers through his hair. "This can't be happening. This cannot be happening!"

"Waller!"

Waller spun around to see a _very_ angry helicopter coming right towards him. But he turned and sprinted off. Blade kept Waller in his sights, following the dean to one of the taller dormitory buildings. Waller bolted through the doors, and Blade had to stop there due to his size. Harley and Sky skidded to a halt beside him.

"You two stay out here!" Harley ordered, deactivating her skates. She drew her pistol and ran into the dormitory.

Blade and Sky waited anxiously, and then they heard helicopter blades slicing through the air. They looked up to see a pitch black Sikorsky S-92 helicopter landing on the roof of the building.

"He's making a run for it." Sky realized.

"He ain't getting away so easily." Blade assured as his rotors began spinning.

Waller finally made it to the roof, and he slammed the doors to the stairs shut after him. He ran to the Sikorsky, who opened his passenger door for Waller.

"So, asking me to be your getaway option wasn't so crazy after all." The Sikorsky smirked.

"Shut up and fly." Waller growled, hopping into the passenger section of the helicopter where four guards waited for him. The Sikorsky kicked up his engine power again, and he began to fly.

Harley busted down the door and held her gun ready, but Waller already started taking off. She fired a couple times, but the bullets didn't leave enough damage to bring the Sikorsky down. The helicopter began to fly off.

"Finn, come in." Harley called into her radio. "Waller is escaping in a Sikorsky S-92."

" _Siddeley and I are in pursuit."_ Finn said. _"What about you?"_

"Well I'm stuck on a roof right now—" Harley paused when she heard another set of helicopter blades, and she saw a familiar fire chief hovering just next to the edge of the roof. "Scratch that. I am in pursuit."

"Let's go, Harley!" Sky called from Blade's hoist hatch. Harley gave herself a running start and jumped off the roof, taking Sky's outstretched hand. Sky pulled Harley into the hoist hatch.

Waller settled down in his seat and turned on the radio on the wall. "Head to Albuquerque. I can fly home from there."

" _Yes sir."_ The helicopter replied.

Waller sighed, smoothing out his hair and suit. "Well, this day can't get any worse."

"Sir, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone is chasing us." One of the guards said.

Waller ran to the window and looked outside to see Blade a good distance behind them but rapidly gaining ground. "Well don't just stand there! Shoot them down!"

Harley and Sky leaned out of the hoist hatch just enough to keep their eyes on the helicopter carrying Waller. "So what exactly is our plan to catch him?" Sky asked.

"Well, I'm the only one with a weapon." Harley said, readying her pistol. "Hopefully I can shoot the helicopter down."

"Won't that kill Waller?" Blade pointed out.

"Not unless you're aim is good enough to catch that copter." Harley reasoned.

"No offense, but that is the worst idea I've ever heard." Blade snapped. "That much weight will pull the hoist right off."

"Well do you have any better ideas?" Harley snapped back. The three of them jumped when they heard gunfire, and the girls spun around.

"Dad!" Sky called, surprised.

"And Siddeley too!" Harley sighed in relief.

"Hey!" Skipper called, pulling up alongside Blade. "I have an idea. I can shoot down the helicopter, and the jet behind me says he can reel the helicopter in. Blade, fly alongside him so Harley can get a clear shot. Harley, you take out any shooters onboard. Copy that?"

"Copy that!" Blade said.

"Yes, sir!" Harley nodded. Meanwhile, the Sikorsky tried to turn and get away from them. Skipper immediately open-fired, and Siddeley took a few shots himself. Blade carefully maneuvered around the gunfire, the shooters careful to not shoot their comrade. Harley activated the holographic screen on her glasses, and she used her hidden camera feature to zoom in and look inside the helicopter. She saw Waller and four guards inside.

" _Harley, status report."_ Finn ordered over Harley's radio.

"Four guards inside with Waller." Harley said.

" _Do you have the shot?"_

"Yes, sir."

" _Take it!"_

Harley raised her pistol, but she jumped when one of the guards inside shot first. Surprisingly enough, the guard shot one of the other guards. A second guard used a form of martial arts to take down the fourth guard. The first shooter aimed his gun to Waller.

"What just happened?" Sky demanded.

" _Harley?"_ Finn asked.

"I think Waller had some traitors amongst him." Harley said uncertainly. "Two guards down. Two remaining guards have turned on Waller."

" _Miss Hudson?"_

Harley froze. "Lacey?"

" _Oh good. You hear us."_ Lacey's voice said over the radio.

" _Told you my frequency hacking would work."_

"Quinn?" Harley growled. "What the devil—"

" _Say, how important is Waller to you?"_ Lacey asked nonchalantly.

"Lacey Largo, I am a thousand feet in the air in a crazy dogfight." Harley growled. "I am _not_ exchanging pleasantries right now!"

" _Where do think we are?"_ Quinn asked.

Harley blinked, and she looked through her zoomed-in camera. "You're on the helicopter?!"

" _And awaiting your orders."_ Lacey said.

" _See if you can get that helicopter to land."_ Finn ordered.

Suddenly, the helicopter swung around to fly backwards and face his pursuers. The Sikorsky jerked towards Blade, who tipped his tail down to fall back and dodge the blow. The Sikorsky launched several shots from his own guns, and the bullets hit Skipper's wing and muzzle. His propeller jerked to a halt, and the Sikorsky rammed into him. Skipper spiraled out of the air, his wing clipping Blade's tail. Blade went into an uncontrollable spin, and the force of the impact sent Sky and Harley tumbling out of the hoist hatch. Harley managed to grab the hoist, but Sky screamed as she began falling.

"Sky!" Harley shouted.

Blade spun his tail rotor faster, slowing and halting his spin so he hovered. "Where is she?"

Harley looked and pointed. "There!"

" _Go after her!"_ Finn ordered. _"We'll take it from here!"_

Blade didn't even wait for the order. He dove down after Sky and Skipper, letting gravity pull him down while Harley held on tight.

Sky couldn't remember when she ever actually fell off a plane. She always had her harness when riding Dusty, so if she fell at least she stayed attached to him. But this: this was just insane. She felt the wind rush past her, but she also felt weightless. It took much of her willpower and physical power to not twist around, lest she start spinning madly. Her eyes watered, but she blinked away the wetness and saw Skipper falling just below her.

"Skipper!" Sky wanted to scream, but the rush of wind forced her voice and breath back into her throat. She reached out towards him and grabbed his wing. At least now she had something to control her spinning, and she pulled herself closer to Skipper's cockpit. "Skipper! Dad!" Sky's shouts came out almost as whispers. She put her hand on Skipper's side. "Please, Dad. Please. Wake up." Skipper wouldn't respond in any way. Sky kept her firm grip on Skipper's wing, determined to not let go and to get Skipper to wake up. "Come on, Dad. Please. Don't leave me."

Then, Sky found her vision flooded with new images.

Her first meeting with Skipper.

Steadily gaining his respect and trust.

Becoming his daughter.

Waking up to see him right there when she had nightmares.

Secretly changing his bad dreams to good ones.

 _So…..you're broken…_

… _.yes….._

The secrets and pain that ultimately brought them together.

 _That's okay. I'm broken too._

A memory surfaced.

* * *

" _Rosa came to check on me again, didn't she?"_

" _Yes. It's just part of her job."_

" _I know. Sometimes orphans are returned or taken back."_

" _Do you really think that would happen to you?"_

" _Maybe. Would you ever regret adopting me? Would you ever send me back?"_

" _Of course not. You are_ my _daughter._ I _am going to raise you. If anyone wants to take you away, they'll have to go through me first."_

" _Thanks, Dad."_

* * *

A bright flash of light erupted in front of Sky's vision. When it died down a bit, she saw Skipper's wounds healing instantly, and she felt a familiar tug within her. A Soul Connect Thread appeared, blue-gray like Skipper's eyes, to connect Sky's heart to Skipper's engine.

"No way….." Sky breathed.

Skipper's eyes fluttered open, and he looked to Sky still on his wing. "Sky?"

Sky looked down, and she screamed.

Skipper followed her gaze to see the ground rapidly approaching. He quickly kicked up his engine power and his propellers spun. He managed to pull up just before they could hit the ground, and he lowered his landing gear to make a bumpy stop on the desert-like ground right outside of the Alamo limits. The jerk of the impact sent Sky tumbling and rolling to the ground. But she scrambled to her feet.

"Dad!" Sky shouted. Skipper met her halfway, and he scooped her up in his wing as she embraced him. Sky struggled to hold her tears in, overwhelmed with relief. "Okay…..that was kind of scary…"

Skipper laughed, nuzzling Sky lovingly. "Yeah. That was kind of scary."

"Sky!" Harley called as Blade landed a short distance away.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" Blade snapped. But he, too, hurried over to nuzzle Sky.

"Man, that was _loco_." Nick sighed. He regretted not being able to do anything, and he about died all over again when he saw Sky get thrown from Blade.

Sky jumped, and she whipped around to stare—to actually _stare_ —at the ghostly helicopter. "Nick?"

Nick stared back. "Yeah?"

Sky screamed in delight, and she rushed over to hug Nick. "I can see you! I can actually see you!"

"You can see me?" Nick whooped and laughed. "You can see me! _No creo_ , you can see me!"

"But why?" Harley asked.

Sky returned to Blade, and she placed her hand on his muzzle. Their Soul Connect Thread appeared before them. "Well that's a sight for sore eyes." Blade sighed.

"Wow." Harley breathed. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, I think." Sky shrugged. "I mean, I just…" She paused. "Hey Dad. Come over here." Skipper obeyed, staring at his daughter in confusion. Sky put her free hand on Skipper's wing. To everyone's amazement, another Soul Connect Thread appeared. Eyes widened, and Harley even had to take off her glasses to clean them.

"Is that…?" Harley breathed.

"Two Soul Connect Threads." Sky confirmed. "I'm Soul Connecting with Blade _and_ my dad."

"That's so cool!" Nick exclaimed.

"Not to mention impossible!" Harley added. "How on earth are you doing that?"

Sky shrugged, removing her hands and causing the Threads to disappear. "I dunno."

"How can you not know?" Harley looked absolutely flabbergasted. "You're….you're….Double Soul Connecting! That's not possible for any psyche human!"

"It _does_ explain my birthmark." Sky moved her sleeve to look at said birthmark. "The fire was Blade, and the crossed wrenches is my dad."

"So maybe you just managed to unlock that connection." Nick suggested. "And now your powers are back!"

"But that doesn't explain how Sky is able to do this totally impossible thing!" Harley protested.

"Can we worry about that later? Right now, we have one last loose end to tie up." Blade reminded her.

Harley sighed. "Okay. Hang on." She turned on her radio. "Finn? Status on that helicopter?"

" _Siddeley managed to shoot him down, and Mr. and Ms. Largo are floating down with Waller in custody."_ Finn said. _"You missed quite a show."_

"Yeah, yeah, show me the tape later." Harley rolled her eyes. "Where is that Sikorsky gonna land, anyway?"

" _Keep your eyes peeled."_ Finn warned. _"He may be coming down soon enough."_

"Should we be concerned?" Harley asked.

Nick noticed a shadow on the ground and looked up. "Heads up!"

Everyone scrambled out of the way just as the now-dead Sikorsky crashed in the spot they previously occupied. Minutes later, Quinn and Lacey landed on the ground with Waller squirming in Lacey's grasp. Despite her petite size, Lacey easily knocked Waller to his knees and handcuffed his wrists behind his back. Quinn shed his parachute and helped Lacey take off hers.

"Not bad, you two." Harley admitted, looking up as Siddeley landed nearby. Finn, Mater, and Holley hurried over.

"I must admit it was a job well done." Finn nodded.

"How long were you hiding in Waller's getaway vehicle?" Harley asked.

"Well, we went to the school first when we heard of the 'vaccinations.'" Lacey explained. "Then Quinn found out that Waller hooked up chloroform to the sprinkler system and disabled it."

"Well, thanks." Mater said gratefully.

"Yes, thank you." Harley said. "You two were a great help."

"We saw you two knocked out of the air." Holley said, looking to Sky and Skipper. "Are you all right?"

"Great!" Sky said excitedly. "My powers are back! And I'm Soul Connecting with Blade _and_ Skipper!"

"Really?" Finn asked, surprised. "Incredible."

"Hey, if you could get your powers back, maybe the other psyche humans who were given the serum can too." Harley suggested.

"Hey!"

Lacey's high-pitched squeal caught everyone's attention, and they turned to see Waller with one hand grasping her arm tightly and the other hand holding a piece of the Sikorsky shrapnel to her throat. Harley, Quinn, Finn, and Holley unloaded their guns, aiming them at Waller.

"How did he get out of those cuffs?" Quinn asked no one in particular.

"Waller, drop her!" Finn ordered.

"I don't think so." Waller said, his eyes wild with manic as he stepped backwards. "Stay back."

"You don't have anywhere to go." Harley reminded him. "You're in enough hot water as it is."

Waller's hand holding the shrapnel trembled. He never felt so cornered in all his life, and he hated the feeling so much that he felt like screaming. Then, his back hit a wall, and Waller realized they had landed closer to the edge of town than previously thought. Waller took half a second to glance over and noticed a door nearby. He promptly pushed Lacey aside and made a run for it. Finn, Harley, Quinn, and Holley shot several times, but nobody could get a hit before Waller disappeared inside the warehouse.

"Holley, Harley, Quinn, and Lacey, you will join me inside to find him." Finn ordered. "The rest of you wait out here until the authorities arrive."

"You're _still_ making us sit out on the sidelines?" Sky complained.

"Yep." Harley nodded as the spies hurried inside.

Sky scoffed. "Not a chance."

"Raven, maybe we—" Blade didn't even get to finish his sentence before Sky ran inside.

Skipper sighed. "We're gonna have to go after her."

"You sure 'bout that?" Mater asked uncertainly.

"Dusty is going to arrive any minute now with the police." Skipper assured. "You need to be there when they do."

"Yes, sir." Mater nodded. Skipper and Blade quickly rolled inside after the others.

Mater gulped. "Be safe."

* * *

Inside the warehouse, the spies found crates and boxes stacked up along the walls, and a map of the warehouse rested on the wall opposite of them.

Harley took a look. "This is a kitchen appliance warehouse. Damn it, this place is huge. Waller could be anywhere."

"Then we will search everywhere to find him." Finn assured. "You and I will cover this first level and the catwalk in the main storage room. Holley, Lacey, and Quinn will cover the upper two floors."

Everyone split up. Harley kept her pistol ready, and she tried to remember the relaxation techniques her father taught her for stressful times. But a new wave of adrenaline almost made her hand shake.

When someone bumped into her, she screamed as she spun around.

If she hadn't looked before she shot, Harley might've accidentally put a bullet in Sky's head.

"You just _had_ to follow us." Harley sighed.

"Are you surprised?" Sky asked.

"I expected you here five minutes ago." Harley said, gesturing with her head for Sky to follow her. "We'll check the main storage room. Hopefully, we'll catch Waller before he can get out."

"He won't get away again." Sky assured.

They quickly found the doors for the storage room, and Harley put a hand on the door handle. She and Sky locked eyes, and then Harley shoved the door open and the girls leaped inside. Sky scanned the room carefully. Harley pointed her pistol everywhere she looked, and she kept her ears and eyes alert.

"Clear!" Nick said, popping up next to Sky.

Sky nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound. "Thanks, Nick. Next time, a little more subtle." Nick grinned sheepishly. Sky couldn't be too angry. She was so happy to finally see and talk to Nick again.

" _Harley, come in."_ Finn's voice said over her radio.

"I read you, Finn." Harley said.

" _Catwalk is clear and so are the hallways."_ Finn said. _"Second and third floors are clear according to Holley, Lacey, and Quinn."_

"No sign of Waller in the storage room, either." Harley confirmed. "He may have already gotten out."

" _Let's rendezvous outside and start searching."_ Finn suggested. _"He can't have gotten far."_

"Roger that." Harley agreed. "Come on, Sky. Let's get out of here."

Sky walked alongside Harley, Nick right behind the girls. "I know this is just a bunch of kitchen stuff, but this place kind of creeps me out." Sky said.

"It _is_ awfully silent." Harley admitted. "Then again, what could—"

The girls and Nick jumped and yelped when the doors to the room slammed shut with a resounding, metallic _BANG!_

"Uh oh." Sky intoned.

* * *

" _Mayday! Mayday!"_

Finn jumped at Harley's frantic call over the radio. "Harley? What is it?"

" _Finn, we found him! He's—hey!"_

Harley's voice was cut off, leaving only static.

"Harley?" Fear and concern were evident in Finn's voice. "Harley, come in! Harley!" Finn heard no answer, so he sped off towards the main storage room.

* * *

Harley, Sky, and Nick stared in shock at Waller, who stood almost dead center of the room. Harley's metal headset and microphone floated in the air between them. Waller had his hand held out in front of him, and he clenched his fingers together to make a fist. Harley's headset crumpled like it was made of paper. Waller relaxed his hand, and the destroyed headset hit the ground.

"What are you? Magneto?" Sky asked, dumbfounded by what she saw.

"You're a psyche human." Harley realized.

Waller no longer looked like a sophisticated man. His hair became unkempt, his suit wrinkled, and his shoes scuffed. His gaze held a mix of insanity and anger. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to learn how to suppress my powers only for you to make me use them again?"

Sky and Harley were at a loss for words. Nick's jaw dropped nearly to the floor. "I don't understand." Sky finally found her voice. "You're a psyche human and yet you created something that destroys psyche human powers?"

"Didn't I already explain this, Skylar?" Waller sighed. "What the world calls 'psyche humans' is actually a disease on the human race. My powers made me an outcast as a child. Surely you encountered a similar treatment. My serum will save us all. I don't know how you regained your abilities; but if I healed you once, I can do it again. On the other hand, Miss Hudson, I'm afraid you're going to have to die now. You interfered for the last time."

"You won't be able to get away with murder." Harley warned, aiming her pistol at Waller.

"Shoot me, and I can easily deflect the bullet." Waller assured. "Your death today will be in self-defense."

Harley shot her gun a few times, aiming for Waller's arms for a simple flesh wound. But Waller raised his hand and the bullets ricocheted off his fingers like they were merely ping-pong balls. Harley's, Sky's, and Nick's eyes widened.

"Not good." Sky gulped.

Waller raised both hands now, and an armada of butcher and steak knives rose from their boxes and pointed their blades towards Harley.

"Goodbye." Waller said.


	22. The Final Fight

**Chapter Twenty-Two – The Final Fight**

Sky dove to one side while Harley jumped the other way. Nick gave Harley an extra boost to push her behind a crate. The knives stabbed the crates, walls, and door, but thankfully not Harley. Sky locked eyes with her spy friend, who silently motioned for her to keep moving but stay low. Sky stayed hidden behind the crates, moving away as Waller came to look for them.

"Come now, girls." Waller called. "No hiding."

Harley stowed away her pistol. It wouldn't do her any good if Waller could knock aside every shot. "Nick, I need you to go find Finn. Tell him what's going on."

"Are you sure?" Nick asked. "I don't want to leave you guys alone with him."

"If Finn comes in here, Waller will have something else made of metal to manipulate." Harley reasoned, keeping her voice soft. "Go warn Finn." Nick couldn't deny that, so he nodded and hurried off. Harley peered out, but her eyes widened when she saw Waller had disappeared. Sky appeared from behind some boxes, and the two girls moved out into the open and towards each other.

Then, a metal cart flew through the air and started falling towards them. Harley pulled Sky to one side as they dodged the cart. They went back to hiding behind the crates.

"Get away from my niece, Hudson." Waller ordered. "She may not accept it now, but she deserves the cure more than any of us."

"I swear, if he mentions that stupid 'cure' one more time." Sky muttered angrily as she and Harley peered over the edge of a wooden crate.

Harley smelled something burning, and she saw smoke coming from Sky's palms that currently pressed against the crate. "Sky!"

Sky noticed the smoke and she quickly removed her hands. Black handprints burned into the wood remained. Harley and Sky kept moving as Waller started towards their hiding place. "How did I do that?" Sky whispered.

"I think you've awakened another set of powers." Harley whispered back.

"Is that possible?" Sky asked.

"Not really, but you Double Soul Connect." Harley pointed out.

Sky looked at her hands, and she glanced back towards Waller. "Let's see if we can use this to our advantage."

* * *

"He's a psyche human? Who controls metal?" Finn repeated.

"Yeah!" Nick nodded hurriedly. "The girls are dodging his attacks for now, but I don't know how long they'll last."

Finn switched on his radio. "Holley, Lacey, and Quinn. Rendezvous with Mater and Siddeley outside. I will join you momentarily."

" _Copy that."_

" _Roger that."_

" _Yes, sir."_

Finn nodded in satisfaction. "Come on, Nick. We're going to help."

"McMissile, you're made of metal." Nick said. "I can only do so much as a ghost. Waller can easily kill you."

"I can't just leave Harley with that madman without backup." Finn said. "We'll figure out a plan when we get there."

Nick wanted to argue, but he thought about it for a while. "Well, it's worked in the past, I guess."

* * *

Waller searched carefully while also keeping alert for one of the girls sneaking up on him. For a few tense minutes, he heard and saw nothing. He began to wonder if the girls snuck out of the room somehow.

"Waller!"

That answers that question.

Waller spun around to see Harley with her pistol pointed towards him. But he lifted his hand and used his powers to pull Harley's gun from her hands. He tossed the weapon aside. Harley didn't take her eyes off Waller, her expression a mix of frustration and mild fear. Waller hated that he could sense the metal around him, but he couldn't deny that those powers gave him an advantage. He used his powers to take the chain of Harley's necklace and pull it up, choking her.

Sky tried to not watch so she could focus more on what she wanted to do. "Come on. Come on." She breathed inaudibly. "Fire. Fire. Give me some fire." Her concentration worked. Within seconds, a ball of fire appeared between her palms. Sky couldn't be awed for long. She threw the fireball like a baseball, and the flaming sphere hit Waller's hand. Waller screamed in pain, his concentration broken. Harley's necklace fell limp, and she inhaled sharply. She had to create a force field around herself when a shower of cutlery came towards her. But when she lowered the force field, Waller lifted a metal pan with his powers and hit Harley in the head to send her reeling.

Waller quickly grabbed his hand again, glaring at the burns on his now immobile appendage. He turned and practically snarled at Sky. The raven-haired woman tried to stand and run, but her foot slipped on a spoon and she hit the ground. She scrambled/crawled backwards as Waller approached her.

"How dare you?" Waller growled. "After everything I've done for you."

"You didn't do anything for me." Sky growled back, despite her fear. "And you are _not_ my family. You're a monster!"

"Really?" Waller's tone took on a new level of manic. "Is that what you think? And what does a monster do?"

"They hurt people for no reason." Sky said, finally getting to her feet. She kept stepping away until her back hit a stack of crates. But she faced Waller bravely. "A monster kills without remorse."

"Fine." Waller snarled. With a flick of his good hand, he shot a butter knife at Sky so quickly that it pierced her sleeve and pinned her firmly to the wooden crate. "If that's how you feel, then you can die first!" Waller couldn't do much with his one injured hand, but he could lift up more knives that hadn't already impaled something.

He sent them flying towards Sky, who flinched and covered her head.

"Sky!" Harley screamed.

" _NO!"_

Sky waited for the knives to pierce her skin, but she felt nothing and heard a couple knives hit the crate behind her. She tentatively opened her eyes, and she stared in shock to see herself surrounded by a blue-green aura, similar to her eye color. The shock only lasted for a moment. When she saw Waller lunge for her, Sky moved aside and planted her fist into his stomach. The distraction gave her a chance to run and meet Harley at the door. They darted to one side to hide again, and Sky found yet another surprise: Finn, Blade, Skipper, and Nick waiting for the girls.

"Dad! Blade!" Sky whispered, keeping low with everyone else as Waller caught his breath and came to look for them. "Are you all right?"

"We'd like to ask you the same thing!" Blade hissed. Everyone stared at Sky, more specifically at the aura that still surrounded her.

Harley noticed something. "Blade, Skipper, your eyes are glowing."

"They are?" Skipper asked.

"Yeah." Nick blinked in surprise. "How'd you do that?"

"How should we know?" Skipper demanded.

"We were only thinking about…protecting Sky…" Blade's eyes widened in realization. "Those knives. They bounced right off her."

"That's it!" Harley almost shouted. But they all crouched down and hurried off to a new hiding place when Waller came close.

"I know you're in here." Waller called in a creepy singsong voice. "Come out like good little girls so I can kill you."

"Well he's _loco._ " Nick gulped.

"I have an idea." Harley said. "I can protect Finn, Blade, and Skipper with my force fields and Waller won't be able to hurt them. Blade and Skipper can protect Sky with their Connection powers. Nick, cover us."

"But we just found out about those powers." Skipper protested. "They probably just got awakened."

"There's no guarantee we'll know how to use them." Blade agreed. "It's too risky."

"It's our only shot." Sky said. "If we let Waller go now, we may not get him again."

"Harley, are you sure about this?" Finn asked.

Harley nodded, pure determination in her eyes. "Absolutely."

"Please just trust us." Sky requested. "We can do this."

There were a lot of looks exchanged and nervous sighs. None of the vehicles were really sure. But the girls had done some pretty incredible things in the past. There was no reason for them to doubt them now.

Waller growled as he lifted a box full of cutlery and threw it aside. "Come out! Are you afraid of me? I can sense and feel every bit of metal in this room. I can feel that helicopter, Skylar. I will kill him now unless you reveal yourself!" Waller paused. He couldn't sense the vehicles in the room anymore. But why? Had they left?

"Waller!"

Waller turned to see Sky standing out in the middle of the room. He lifted his uninjured hand and flung a knife towards her. It moved so quickly that Sky couldn't dodge in time, but the protective aura around her made the knife simply bounce off her shoulder. Blade and Skipper, hidden amongst the boxes but still keeping their eyes on Sky, could only smirk in triumph. They put all their focus in keeping the protective aura around Sky. Finn waited behind some other crates, his guns unloaded and ready. But he stayed low, hoping Harley and Sky's plan would work. Nick stayed high above everyone, his eyes darting from one person to the next.

Sky created a ball of fire in her palm, and she threw it at Waller. He ducked, and noticed Harley trying to sneak up behind him. He threw a shower of pots and pans, forcing Harley to create a force field around herself. It took a great amount of concentration to keep multiple force fields up and still fight, but Harley didn't dare let her guard down. Sky threw more fire, but Waller suddenly threw a crate full of what sounded like more pots and pans. Though the impact didn't hurt Sky, the force still knocked her off her feet and the heavy crate pinned her to the ground. Nick hurriedly flew down to help her.

Harley came up behind Waller, dropping her force fields and punching Waller in the jaw. Waller couldn't focus on anyone else as he parried and returned Harley's blows. He used his powers to pull a knife from the ground into his hand, and he slashed it across Harley's arm. Harley jumped back to avoid the swipes and stabs, and her back hit a crate. She quickly raised a force field in front of her to protect herself from any more of Waller's attacks.

"I'll kill your friends, girl." Waller growled. "And then I'll kill you!"

Harley smirked. "I'm not the one you have to worry about."

Waller's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then he felt a sting in his arm. He looked down…

…to see a now-empty syringe sticking out of his arm.

Waller yanked the syringe out and turned to see Sky behind him, glaring harshly. "You wanted to be cured." She reminded him.

Before he could respond, Waller's shock flashed to pain and he collapsed into spasms. Harley and Sky watched him for a moment, waiting for the serum to take full effect. Once Waller stopped twitching, Harley handcuffed his wrists behind his back and yanked him to his feet. Finn started calling to their comrades outside. Skipper, Blade, and Nick approached Sky, who watched everything happening with a very tired gaze.

Blade gave her a gentle nudge. "You all right?"

Sky smiled softly. "Yeah. But I could really use a nap."

Skipper chuckled. "I think we can arrange that." He scooped Sky up onto his wing as he and Blade rolled after Finn, Harley, and Waller.

Nick sighed with a smile as he trailed after them. "It's finally over."

* * *

When they got outside, they found Dusty, the Alamo police department, and even several more C.H.R.O.M.E. agents waiting. Dusty was shocked to discover Sky Double Soul Connecting, and the fact that she survived the fight with Waller. The Alamo police sheriff took Waller into custody, and Finn began talking with the sheriff about the charges and when Waller would go to trial. Harley informed Sky, Blade, Skipper, and Dusty that they would be called for statements, but she also encouraged them to go back for Sparky and return home.

For once, nobody argued.

Still, concern arose over the situation. If Waller couldn't be kept in court in the past, would Finn and Harley be able to make a solid case against him now? After a week of being home, Skipper finally let Sky call Harley about the situation. Harley wouldn't give any details until she and Finn personally arrived in Propwash Junction to record statements about the incident from Sky, Skipper, Blade, Sparky, and Dusty. Only then did she answer Sky's question.

"Well, we still have to go through a bunch of pre-trial nonsense." Harley explained. "But that might only take a few weeks. I don't see this trial going very far."

"But you will be able to convict him, right?" Blade asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah." Harley assured.

"We have plenty of evidence." Finn said. "C.H.R.O.M.E. secured the serum that was still at the gymnasium and are still investigating the Academy for Psyche Students. We've already discovered that at least half of the staff at the school were conspirators with Waller. That young man who stalked us at the hotel also worked for him, and even followed you, Ms. Riley, to Propwash Junction."

"That would explain how Waller knew about our plans to contact Professor Wheeler." Sky said.

"Katherine also gave us her statement, including her experience after the effects of the serum. I also may or may not have recorded our fight with Waller on my glasses." Harley smirked proudly. "Even if by some miracle he escapes conviction for the serum, he'll still get jail time for assault, murder, and attempted murder."

"Perfect." Skipper said.

"How is Katherine?" Sky asked worriedly.

"She was doing all right when the paramedics picked her up, but we haven't heard anything since then." Sparky noted.

"Katherine is fine." Harley assured. "She doesn't have any use of her powers, but she's steadily beginning to cope with it."

"Is there a way to heal her?" Sky asked. "I mean, I got my powers back somehow."

"Yeah, but you're a special case." Harley said. "You do quite a few things that are impossible even for a psyche human. Which brings me to our next order of business: I'd like to do a scan of you, Sky."

"A scan?" Sky blinked in confusion.

"It's something I can do with my healing abilities." Harley explained. "I want to know more about the situation regarding your powers. There's a chance we can find a way to reverse the serum's effects."

Sky immediately agreed. She felt a little strange when Harley moved her hands, surrounded by a glow, around Sky's body. Harley's eyes settled into a critical gaze. She asked Sky and Blade questions about how they felt after Sky was given the serum. She perked up when Blade mentioned the pain caused when Sky's seemingly absent powers tried to react to the Soul Connect. It took another several minutes to come to a conclusion.

"So is everything okay?" Sky asked.

"It's incredible, really." Harley said, sounding excited. "You really can do things other psych-mans can't. The Double Soul Connect allows you to bond with both your dad and Blade, and awakening that second connection finally awakened the powers within your Partners. And two Partners means two powers. You have pyrokinesis and dreamscape. Those are some pretty rare powers."

"Cool." Sky breathed.

"Keep practicing with those powers, and you'll get the hang of them soon enough." Harley assured. "As for the serum, I think we had the wrong idea about it. You experienced that pain because your powers were trying to activate the Soul Connection. But the serum prevented that by blocking your psyche human powers."

"So is there a way you can unblock them?" Dusty asked excitedly.

"I think so." Finn confirmed. "Ms. Riley, could we take a sample of your blood with us? It might help."

"Absolutely." Sky nodded. Harley pulled a clean syringe from her bag.

"I'll forward what we learned to Holley." Finn said. "I am sure we can find an antidote and heal all the affected psyche humans."

"What about the school?" Dusty asked. "What's going to happen to the Academy for Psyche Students?"

"Unless someone can fund it, the school will most likely close." Finn explained. "We're still searching for Waller's research. Once we find that, we might be able to gain a better understanding of how the serum worked so an antidote can be made."

"Agent McMissile?" Sky piped up as Harley drew her blood. Finn gave her his full attention, a little surprised by the formal tone. Sky had a serious look in her eyes. "Will you do me a favor? When you find Waller's research, destroy it. Only use it to find an antidote. After that, destroy every trace of that serum and the research that went into it."

"I will see to it personally." Finn assured without hesitation. Sky relaxed from relief. Everyone else felt the same relief. If that serum ended up in the wrong hands, it could lead to more disaster.

"So if Sky has pyrokinesis, she controls and makes fire." Dusty guessed. "Then what does 'dreamscape' mean?"

Harley smiled as she put the syringe of Sky's blood in her bag. "Dreamscape is the rarest of psyche human powers. All psyche humans can peer into dreams and memories. But only those with the power of dreamscape can go into a dream and then control it."

Sky's eyes widened. She exchanged looks with Blade and Skipper. "Well that certainly explains a lot."

* * *

Harley was right. Waller's trial didn't take long. There was a mountain of evidence against him, and not even his strongest lawyer could argue against his multiple life sentences. Without his powers, Waller was at no risk of escaping. As Harley and Finn guessed, Holley and the other scientists at C.H.R.O.M.E. were able to create an antidote for Waller's serum. Every psyche human affected by the serum was cured, and communities held vigils for the poor psych-mans who died from the serum. Two months after Waller's arrest, Sky and Katherine were called to Washington D.C. to be hailed as heroes by the President himself. Harley and Finn agreed to come as well to give a brief statement and to support their friends.

"Hey Hudson."

Standing behind a curtained-off area in D.C., Harley had been so focused on looking for her friends that she didn't hear anyone coming up behind her. She whipped around and saw Quinn and Lacey there, both of them dressed casually and wearing warm smiles.

Harley smiled back. "Hey you two. I was hoping I'd run into you again."

"Really?" Quinn asked, sounding happy yet surprised.

"You two were a great help during Waller's trial, and you helped us bring him down both figuratively and literally." Harley said. "You proved yourselves as trustworthy and faithful. I would be happy to call you my friends."

Lacey and Quinn looked as though the world flew off their shoulders. "Thank you, Harley." Lacey said. "This means a lot to us."

"And we want to apologize once more about what happened with Emily." Quinn said. "We already talked to Agent McMissile about it, and he's forgiven us."

"No forgiveness is needed." Harley assured. "You were trying to be good siblings. Emily kept you in the dark."

"Well, we're going to try and go on with life." Lacey said. "Remember the good things about our sister." She pulled a business card from her pocket and handed it to Harley. "Just know that, if you ever need us, we're a quick call away."

Harley accepted the card and tucked it safely into her jacket. "Thanks, guys." She shared a quick hug with the two spies, and the Largo siblings departed. Harley smiled after them.

"Found them!" Finn announced, joining Harley behind the curtain of the stage set up beside the Washington Monument. Sky and Katherine were at his side.

"Hey guys." Harley greeted. "Glad you found each other."

"We were very happy to find each other as well." Katherine assured. She glowed with renewed energy, something she hadn't felt in several weeks. But since receiving the antidote for the serum, she felt like her normal self again. Leland also looked very happy to be seen by her again.

"I'll go tell everyone you're here." Finn announced, driving away to the security guards nearby.

Sky peered out to the crowd of reporters and spectators near the stage. She could just make out Skipper, Sparky, Blade, Dusty, and Maru in the crowd. Sky sighed nervously. "Are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Why not?" Harley shrugged. "You two are heroes."

"You brought down a madman, and suffered much in your fight to do so." Katherine said, taking Sky's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Hey, you actually injected yourself with that serum." Sky reminded her. "That was risky."

"But worth it." Katherine assured.

Sky sighed again. "I don't know. I only ever talk to the press for racing-related things. Now I have to talk about how I fought a bad guy and saved a bunch of people."

"A bunch of people?" Harley scoffed. "Sky, you and Katherine helped to save the world. Psyche humans all over the planet are now safe because of you."

"But you did that research into the case." Sky protested. "It was your investigation."

"Finn and I would have never been able to solve that case without your help." Harley said. "You and Katherine did so much to help us. In more ways than one."

"That fight you had to endure sounded very impressive." Katherine noted to Sky. "I don't understand why you are not happy."

"Because I don't feel like a hero." Sky said. "I just did the right thing. That doesn't make me a hero. That makes me a decent person."

Harley put a hand on Sky's shoulder. "Sky, in my experience, I've learned a lot about doing the right thing. First, it takes a good heart to know what is the right thing to do. Then, it takes a heck of a lot of bravery to ignore what other people say or think and do that right thing. Having met you, I know that Skylar Amelia Riley is one of the bravest persons I've ever met, and I know you have such a pure heart. You only thought about helping the people you love and stopping a monster from hurting others. _That_ is why you are a hero."

Sky glanced back to the crowd. "You think so?"

"I know so." Harley assured. Katherine nodded in agreement.

Sky smiled and exhaled slowly. "Thanks, guys."

Harley nodded, and she gave the girls an encouraging push. "Now get out there."

* * *

 **A/N: Don't go away! One last chapter will be coming soon!**


	23. Sisters

**Chapter Twenty-Three – Sisters**

After their ceremony in D.C. and receiving medals for their acts of heroism, the girls parted ways. But they promised to keep in touch with each other so to stay close friends. They even contacted Rachel and her band to check in. Rachel reported that the Academy for Psyche Students has closed indefinitely, but there are doubts about whether or not psych-mans will want to return at all after what happened.

Sky didn't care if the Academy rotted. She spent the rest of her spring with Blade and Skipper to practice with their new powers. She also went flying with Dusty as often as possible to make up for lost time, and the racers started looking at the racing schedule. Ishani and Dusty began seriously talking about pinning down a wedding date, and Ishani invited Sky to be her maid of honor. Life seemed to return to normal for everyone, and nobody could complain because they were so relieved.

Blade and Maru had to leave early in May to prepare Piston Peak for fire season. They were sent off with well wishes from most of the town, including Mayday suggesting a holiday at Piston Peak.

"Skipper and I will practice here." Sky said to Blade as she walked with him, Maru, and Nick out to the runway. "When Dusty and I get up there for our half of fire season, we can practice. I'm wondering if I can use this pyrokinesis during fires or something."

"We can look into that." Blade assured.

Sky smiled broadly. "Good. Fly safe."

"See you in July." Blade gave Sky a nuzzle, his smile permanently on his lips. Nick gave a nod to Sky, having voiced his goodbyes last night.

"See ya, Maru." Sky told the forklift. She jumped a little when Maru pulled her into a hug, but she returned the embrace.

"I'm really glad you're okay." Maru sighed.

Sky's eyes clearly conveyed how touched she felt. "Thanks, Maru. For everything."

* * *

"I'm serious, Harley Hudson." Finn said. He, Harley, Mater, and Holley rolled down Route 66 and towards Radiator Springs, almost home after finally finishing the paperwork with Waller's case.

"I know you're serious, Finn." Harley assured. "You won't stop reminding me."

"You were so stressed during this assignment." Finn reminded her. "It's good to take a break every once in a while. You deserve it. So even if I have to bolt you to the floor, you're going to stay home for a few weeks."

"Fine." Harley rolled her eyes with a grin. "But only if you and Holley stay with us."

Finn grinned. "Of course."

Harley leaned her head back and let the sun wash over her face. Truthfully, she couldn't wait to be home for a few weeks. She wanted to go back to being a crew chief for a while. She wanted to go to the drive-in with her family. She wanted to just be with the people she loved without needing to do something. It made her excited to think about those next few weeks.

When she saw her family coming out of Radiator Springs to greet her, Harley couldn't keep her smile off her lips.

* * *

Life went on in Propwash Junction. With the town's First Day of Summer Festival coming up, it almost felt like nothing happened just a few months ago. Sky was back to her usual self. She had racing practice with Dusty and Skipper; helped Mayday and Dusty put out a fire in a building near Sterling; practiced with her new powers; resumed her usual activities like hiking and talking with her friends. Chug and Dottie spent as much time as possible with her for at least a week, just to make sure she was truly doing all right.

Soon enough, the First Day of Summer Festival came upon Propwash Junction. While not nearly as big as the Corn Fest, the townsfolk still gathered for games, a concert by a local band, and general fun. As night rolled over the land, bonfires were lit in a variety of places around the field near town. Thanks to Mayday, Dusty, and Sky, none of the bonfires ran a risk for a wildfire. A cluster of townspeople sat at each fire, and most of the fires had singing. Several townsfolk brought their own instruments to play.

At one point during the night, Sky disappeared. When she finally made her way back to the bonfire, she fingered the neck of her guitar. She had thought about what she was about to do for the last month, but could she really go through with it now? Something like this wouldn't be so stressful for most people, but music struck a personal chord with her. After meeting Sparky, she promised herself she would try and find a new outlet for her anger at the world. Music became that outlet, and it continued to be a coping mechanism for when she couldn't handle her emotions. She couldn't describe the feeling she had when she could put her emotions into words through music.

Now, she wanted to share that feeling. Was she ready?

Sky breathed in deeply, and then exhaled slowly. She moved over to the bonfire closest to her, where she saw a group of familiar faces: Dusty, Skipper, Sparky, Dottie, Chug, Mayday, Spot Fire, Brodi, Leadbottom, and a couple of the other townsfolk.

"Hey guys." Sky greeted, causing them all to look over to her.

"Hey Sky." Dusty greeted back. He noticed she had her guitar in her hands, and he perked up. "You brought your guitar?"

Sky shrugged. "Well, I just thought I'd contribute to the music tonight."

"We could use it." Brodi said. "Joe here broke his hand."

"I told you I was trying to catch Gary and Jay and I slammed the door on my hand by mistake!" Joe whined, rubbing his bandaged hand.

"Why were you chasing Gary and Jay again?" Sparky chuckled.

"Don't ask." Gary laughed.

"Yeah, Joe might start chasing us again and kick a rock." Jay snickered.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Sky, just play something. It'll keep these jokers occupied."

Sky giggled, and she sat down and tuned her guitar. After a moment of thinking, she began to play. Sky expected someone to join in with her, but she found everyone just sitting there and listening. Jay had an electric keyboard piano on his lap, and he played a harmony with Sky's music. Besides that, no one else interrupted or accompanied. Sky kept her focus on the music.

When Sky stopped, she anxiously looked up at everyone's reaction to her singing. In seconds, everyone was complimenting or clapping for her.

"Dang, girl!" Leadbottom said, sounding surprised. "Since when could you sing?"

Sky shrugged. "I dunno."

"You don't know?" Brodi laughed. "That was great!"

"Well done, as always." Dusty said.

"Come on, let's play something else!" Jay encouraged.

Sky's smile grew more confident, and she nodded. Jay started playing on his keyboard, and Sky soon picked up on the song and played with him.

She sang for the rest of the night, unafraid.

* * *

After winning a race in Florida, Dusty and Sky were led off to Honkers by Skipper and Sparky to celebrate their victory and to celebrate Dusty and Ishani finally settling on a wedding date.

"October 12." Dusty confirmed. "That's near the end of racing season for both of us, and Ishani agreed that we should continue racing as much as possible."

"I'm so happy for you guys." Sky said.

"We all are." Skipper said. "Where are you thinking about having the ceremony?"

"Ishani and I are still trying to decide." Dusty shrugged. "We're thinking of holding the ceremony near here, but Ishani also wants to do an informal Hinduism ceremony in India. I told her we could have a ceremony here, but then have a second ceremony and our honeymoon in India."

"That would work." Sparky mused. "I hear the weather is pretty good around that time."

"Well, we'll get those details sorted out. Mainly, Ishani said we need good weather and avoid monsoon season." Dusty assured. "Ishani's mother is all for it. She keeps calling me, asking things like what kinds of food I like and if I'm allergic to anything."

"I don't think I've met Ishani's mother." Sky noted. "What's she like?"

"Very nice." Dusty said. "Very motherly. She was a little reserved and shocked when her daughter brought home an American boy. But she warmed up to me and immediately took me in as family."

"Family is based on love, not on relations." Skipper said.

"We are certainly the example of that, huh?" Sky said with a smile. They all laughed lightly.

Someone behind Sky cleared her throat. "Excuse me?"

Sky turned, and her happy expression quickly morphed to one of surprise. "CJ?"

Sky's younger birth sister looked so different compared to when Sky first met her. A shy and nervous teenager replaced the confident demeanor CJ once wore. She shifted from one foot to another and twisted the hem of her shirt. Due to the warmer weather, she dressed in skinny jeans, heeled sandals, and an evergreen long shirt with a thin black belt around her waist. CJ kept tucking her hair behind her ears even when it stayed there.

"Hey Skylar." CJ finally said.

Sky stood up. She took a quick glance around the room and saw half the patrons of Honkers looking towards them. No doubt most of them were ready to chase CJ out of town if Sky said so. But Sky looked back to CJ. "Hey. Um, I hope I don't sound too rude, but what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk." CJ said. "Well, more importantly, I came to apologize." She waited for Sky's reaction. But Sky said nothing, so CJ continued. "What our….your…. _my_ parents did…..that was just so wrong. I spent years wishing for a sister, and when I finally told my parents this, they told me about you. They said you hated your powers and that you were trying to get rid of them. It wasn't until after we first met several months ago did I find out they had lied. As you can probably imagine, this left quite a blow. I never had much exposure to psyche humans in my childhood, so I sought out psych-mans in my own community to talk to them. That's when I found out how ingrained your powers are within your body, your very soul."

"So you understand why I was so angry when we met up?" Sky guessed.

CJ nodded. "I watched what you did when you fought Uncle George. You and Dusty were racing in Florida recently, and I was able to make it out to see you guys. I tried to find you in the pits, because I wanted to talk to you then. But I saw how you interacted with your foster…..surrogate…..uh….Commander Riley…and I could see how you had made a strong bond with your new family. Your powers are actually pretty amazing. What my parents did to you—abandoning you just because of their prejudice—was a terrible thing to do."

Sky listened intently to her words, and she could tell CJ was sincere. She let CJ's words settle, and waited for anything more. When CJ said nothing else, Sky finally smiled. "Thank you, CJ. Really, that was cool of you. What did your parents say about you coming up here?"

"They don't really know I'm here." CJ said. "They think I'm camping with some friends. My friends are over in Sterling, waiting excitedly to hear how this conversation goes."

"You came all this way just to apologize?" Sky asked.

"Well, I wanted to apologize firstly. My second goal was to hopefully get to know you better." CJ said. "I know we can't be a family because you clearly have a better family here. But if we could at least be friends, that would nice."

Sky thought about it for a while. She rather liked CJ. She was kind and had a good heart. CJ acted nothing like her parents. By only looking at who CJ was as a person, Sky realized she wanted to get to know her too. Sky looked to Dusty, Skipper, and Sparky. "What do you guys think?"

Sparky shrugged. "Your choice."

"And we will respect that choice." Skipper added.

"But, if you want my opinion, I think it would be all right." Dusty said. "She _is_ innocent in this situation."

Sky cast a knowing smile to the firefighting plane. She turned back to CJ. "You know, I think we can still carry on as sisters."

CJ looked surprised. "Really? Even though you have a new family?"

"I don't have a new family or an old family. I just have a family. A wonderful, loving family that I want you to be a part of." Sky said. "Because someone once told me that 'family is not the blood you carry, but the bonds you share.' What do you say?"

CJ smiled warmly. "You'd really be okay with being my sister?"

"Of course." Sky nodded. "Always wanted one." She and CJ shared a warm embrace, and Sky noticed the Honkers patrons returning to their business. Sky gestured for CJ to sit at the table, and Dusty gladly moved over to make room.

"Do you have much time here?" Dusty asked.

"My friends are hoping I'll be here for the rest of the afternoon." CJ said. "They're going to pick me up this evening and they hope that they get the chance to meet you and Sky. My friends are fans of yours."

"Sounds like fun." Dusty chuckled.

"I think we can get a lot done in one afternoon." Sky said. "Maybe you can come back while you're pretending to camp and I'll show you around town."

"Really?" CJ asked excitedly.

"Why not?" Sky shrugged. "For now, what do you want to know?"

"Everything." CJ said, sitting on the edge of her seat. "Tell me everything about how you came here." She leaned back a bit. "That is…..if you want to….."

"I would love to." Sky said. "But get comfortable. It's going to be a long story."

CJ settled down in her seat. "I'm ready."

Sky smiled warmly. "Well, I guess my story would start back when I was ten. I had spent several years in the orphanage, and I befriended Sparky when I was eight. Then, I met a reclusive old Corsair who I thought was the biggest crankshaft to ever live."

 **THE END**

* * *

 **A/N: And that's it! Sequel finished! I do intend to continue the one-shots, and I should be posting the next one soon.**

 **Also, drumroll please (insert drumroll), there will be a third installment of** _ **Into the Psyche**_ **! More details will come in good time. For now, enjoy the one-shots as I post them!**


End file.
